Some organic samples from ancient copper workings in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have yielded 14C date, out of which the earliest goes back to the Mauryan times (c. 300 B.C.) and the latest to the early Medieval Period. (c. 1000 A.D.) Copper has been used extensively even during proto-historic times in these regions, but no 14C dates are available so far. For the first time, the antiquity of some-mining areas go back to early historic Period. An attempt is made to give a connected historic background along with resultant effects of socio-economic impact of mining and knowledge of metallurgy for the advancement of material life of the Period. Further samples from proto-historic sites may yield 14C dates and add information on mining and metallurgy of the period.