Formula: Ag

Species: Native Elements

Colour: Silver-white, tarnishes dark gray to black

Lustre: Metallic

Hardness: 2½ – 3

Specific Gravity: 10.1 – 11.1

Crystal System: Isometric

Member of: Copper Group. Gold-Silver Series and Palladium-Silver Series.

Name: An Old English word “seolfor” whose original meaning is now lost. The current spelling “silver” was known as early as 1478. Known in ancient Roman times as argentum. The chemical element abbreviation Ag comes from argentum.

Silver is used in jewelry, tableware, coins, scientific equipment and in photographic processes. Silver tarnishes black with a surface layer of acanthite (silver sulphide), especially when placed in proximity to sulphurous compounds. It is primarily found as a constituent of hydrothermal veins. It is often found associated with copper. Unlike gold, it is soluble in any oxidizing mineral acid.