Silver - Minerals Education Coalition

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Silver (Ag) has a bright, metallic luster, and when untarnished, has a white color. It is rarely found in its native form. Silver can be found combined with a number of different elements such as sulfur, arsenic, antimony or chlorine to form a variety of minerals and ores, such as argentite, chlorargyrite, and galena. It is also found in very small amounts in gold, lead, zinc and copper ores. Silver is malleable which means it can be hammered into thin sheets. It is also ductile, meaning it can be drawn into wire.

Type

Element (Minerals/Ores of)

Mineral Classification

Native

Chemical Formula

Ag

Streak

silver white

Mohs Hardness

2.5-3

Crystal System

Isometric

Color

Silver

Luster

Metallic

Fracture

Jagged

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Description

Silver (Ag) has a bright, metallic luster, and when untarnished, has a white color. It is rarely found in its native form. Silver can be found combined with a number of different elements such as sulfur, arsenic, antimony or chlorine to form a variety of minerals and ores, such as argentite, chlorargyrite, and galena. It is also found in very small amounts in gold, lead, zinc and copper ores. Silver is malleable which means it can be hammered into thin sheets. It is also ductile, meaning it can be drawn into wire.

Relation to Mining

Silver is found in lead, zinc, gold and copper ore deposits. The most important ore mineral of silver is argentite (Ag2S, silver sulfide). Silver is commonly extracted from ore by smelting or chemical leaching.

Uses

Silver has been used for thousands of years for jewelry and decorative items of all types. Likewise, it has been used for silverware. Of all the metals, untarnished silver is the best reflector of light. As a result, it was used in ancient times to make mirrors. Sterling silver is silver alloyed with another metal, usually copper. For such an alloy to be called “Sterling” it has to have 92.5% silver content. Silver bromide and silver nitrate have been used in photography. Silver is used in dental work, batteries and mirrors. Silver is the best reflector of visible light, so it makes the best mirrors, but silver mirrors tarnish quickly. It is also used in electrical products because it conducts electricity more efficiently than copper. It has been used by dentists in amalgam fillings.

Related topics:

Silver the Element Lead Gold Minerals Copper the Element Cell Phone Minerals Return to Minerals Database

MEC Spotlight

New Monumental Minerals Poster

The new 24” x 36” two-sided MEC Monumental Minerals poster showcases monuments from across the United States and the mined rocks, minerals and metals used to create them. Highlighting well-known monuments points out the importance of mined materials to the public and makes a great tie-in to the country’s 250th anniversary celebration in 2026. The multidisciplinary content of this poster includes science, social studies, history, geography, and art.

The front of the poster has images of diverse U.S. monuments and describes the materials mined and processed to make the monuments.

The reverse side of the poster has several activities that teachers, parents, and grandparents can do with students. “Build Your Own Monument” and the “Building Stones: Your Local Gateway to STEM” activities encourage students to consider what monuments mean and to research types of building stones used in their region.

Get yours, rolled or folded, from the MEC Store!