Introduction to Silver

Studies revealed that there's 10 times more silver on earth than gold and has great characteristics that proves useful to men.  Silver also has an unusual property: it kills germs. According to Sam Kean, author of “Disappearing Spoon”, when early Americans are crossing the wilderness, they would invest on one good silver coin. The coin is added to their milk jar so that it would last for days without spoiling. Silver can do so much but gold has always been valuable because it is so much harder to find. 

Silver is one of the favorite elements in jewelry making mainly attributed to its characteristics and properties. Silver is also used in silverwares and had been proven to be useful in many types of modern technology such as photography, conductors, and electrical circuits.

The pure elemental form of silver (native silver) can be found from the Earth’s crust. Silver is also found as an alloy with gold and other metals and minerals.

Silver had been with us for as long as history can trace. Silver had been mined and extracted, proven to be useful to the first civilization of men. And to this date, as men continue to further technology, silver has proven to become more useful in many ways than one.

Brief History of Silver

Silver is the unsung hero that saved democracy. It started in Greece when they discovered that they are mining silver. Silver mining started around 3000 BC. The first silvers used in early civilizations of the North East were first mined in Anatolia (Turkey). Greece stands on hot spots of active volcanoes where silver is commonly found. Silver paid men who created warships and Greece’s secret weapon - silver bullets that made them won the battle against the Persians. Around 1200 BC, Greece took over silver production while it continued to supply the demands of silver of its growing empire.

Around 100AD, the Spanish Empire has expanded and soon took over Silver production supplying the needs of the Roman empire. Silver during this era had also become an important part of trading, especially in the Asian spice routes. At the birth of industrialization, technology found, even more, uses for silver that is essential in modern living.

In a study of Astronomy and Astrophysics published on September 2012, silver was scattered to earth and all over the universe by supernova explosions. These stars are able to create multiple elements including iron, copper, and silver thus when they explode, the elements are scattered throughout the universe including Earth.  

According to the research of Silver Institute, 85% of all silver being produced in the entire globe came from Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru from 1500 to 1800. In 1492, South America had been found to be rich in silver and silver ore. Spanish conquerors were enthusiastic about the discovery and mined the wealth abundantly.

In Jewelry making, silver had been one of the important elements used in molding various ornaments and kitchen utensils mainly because of its properties. It has also made a huge contribution in the discovery of early photography. Silver Nitrate (Silver + Nitrogen + Oxygen molecules) was an important component used to create photographic plates mainly because silver reacts to light leading to black results. This reaction enables photographers to capture light at an instant. In 2003, it is reported that 1,920 metric tons of silver were used every year for photographic processes alone. 

Stay with us in our next blog as we bring to you more of the characteristics and uses of silver.