Silver - a Brief History

Discovery of silverjewelry, medicine, chemistry, and photography.
The discovery of metals to leave the great leapBecause of its electrical and thermal conductivity,
forward for human civilization. The first to beit is also important in electro-technology.
discovered were the native metals such as gold,Nature Silver metallic Silver (Ag) has a hardness
silver and copper that occurs naturally in a pureof 2.5 to 3 and a density of 9.6 to 12 (when
form. "As each metal was discovered, thepure). This is opaque, has a metallic sheen, and
companies were transformed."leaves a bright white striations. It has no cleavage
Silver occurs as ductile, twisted, branching massesand breaks with hackly fracture. Silver belongs to
of metal that native silver tarnish the gray andthe system cubic crystal, but crystals are rare,
black, or silver sulfide as argentite. It is foundforming as octahedrons or hexahedrons. Silver
most often combined with the sulfides of lead,occurs most often as yarn, dendrites, or plates.
copper and zinc (galena, sphalerite, and Calcopirita).The different patterns Silver
In its native form, as usually occurs silverSilver is the different standards. Fine Silver,
star-shaped or tree-like clusters, the dendrites andSterling Silver, Silver Britannia, Mexican Silver, Coin
wire-like forms, or as compact masses. It isSilver, Silvers and German (not to be confused
occasionally crystallizes as cubes or octahedra.with nickel silver, which is also referred to by this
About Sterling Silverterm) are different patterns of silver used in
Silver is very soft and is usually connected toGermany.
make it stronger. The league best known isThe largest producer of silver is the Mine
"Sterling Silver", which is 92.5 percent and 7.5Guanajuato, in Mexico, where he was extracted
percent Silver Copper, and has long been valuedsilver from 1500 AD. More than half of world
for their ability to work and resistance toreserves of silver are held in Mexico, U.S., Canada,
corrosion. It is also called "925 Sterling Silver." ThePeru, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
main applications are for the coinage of silver,