| Silver is a chemical element, which has the symbol | | | | electronic circuits and can be found in the contact |
| Ag, is naturally occurring and can be described as | | | | points of computer keyboards. Due to the |
| having the characteristics of being quite soft and | | | | superior signal quality of silver it can also be found |
| ductile. In it`s pure form silver is termed `native | | | | in high end hi-fi equipment. |
| silver`, however, it can also be found as an alloy | | | | Silver was also very popular in the photographic |
| with gold and other metals. | | | | industry. Through the use of chemistry, silver |
| Silver has been mined by many different | | | | produces the light sensitive salts, which can be |
| processes over the years. A common method | | | | used to develop high quality photography. |
| which has been developed, is the heap leach or | | | | However, due to the advent of digital |
| cyanide technique. The silver ore is crushed into | | | | photography, the use of silver in the industry has |
| pieces, which makes the material porous. Lime is | | | | begun to decline. |
| then added at a specific quantity to the silver ore, | | | | Another obvious use of silver is in the jewellery |
| which produces an alkaline environment. Crushed | | | | industry. Jewellery is traditionally made from |
| ore is then stacked on impermeable pads and a | | | | sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver and 7.5% |
| solution of sodium cyanide is added. Silver is then | | | | copper. Pure silver is too soft to be used so |
| recovered from heap leach solutions via several | | | | silversmiths will alloy silver with other metals to |
| methods. A common technique used, is where | | | | harden it. Due to the reflective nature and |
| fine zinc dust is used to precipitate the precious | | | | tarnish resistance of silver, it is also used in |
| metals from the solution. The silver is filtered off, | | | | silverware such as cutlery and picture frames. |
| melted and made into bullion bars. | | | | Further use for silver include dental and medicinal. |
| Silver has been considered to be a precious | | | | Hippocrates, the father of medicine wrote that |
| material since the ancient times and has many | | | | silver had beneficial healing and anti-disease |
| uses. It is believed that silver was discovered in | | | | properties. It has been discovered that silver has |
| 4,000BC and has been found in ancient tombs, | | | | a significant impact on the treatment of burns. |
| located in Egypt and China. | | | | Today sulfadiazine is used by hospitals worldwide |
| Silver was commonly used as a form of | | | | to kill bacteria, which allows the body time to |
| currency, in 700 BC the Lydians (Lydia was an | | | | restore the area naturally. Silver has also been |
| Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor) used a | | | | successfully used to grow new skin on accident |
| gold-silver alloy to produce money. Later, silver | | | | victims, including the restoration of fingertips. |
| was then refined and coined in it’s pure form. | | | | There are other uses for silver which include |
| The UK pound originally represented the value of | | | | helping people with allergies, eliminating harmful |
| one troy pound of sterling silver. | | | | bacteria and in the use of sunglasses by |
| However, silver has many uses other than | | | | protecting the eyes from sunlight. |
| currency. Silver has the highest electrical | | | | The uses of silver are varied and have really |
| conductivity of any element. Due to this fact, it is | | | | developed over the years. Who knows what uses |
| often used in electronic products such as batteries | | | | of silver may be discovered in the future? |
| and catalysts. It can also be used for soldering in | | | | |