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Silver

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Uchucchacua Mine, Oyon Province, Lima Department, Peru
© Rob ++++++++

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Formula:
Ag
System:IsometricColour:Silver-white, tarnishes ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:2½ - 3
Name:From Old English "seolfor", original meaning lost; Latin "argentum", silver.


Copper Group. Gold-Silver Series and Palladium-Silver Series.

Silver is used in jewelry, tableware, coins, scientific equipment and in photographic processes. Silver tarnishes black with a surface layer of Acanthite, 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.

Classification of Silver

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:1/A.01-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:1.AA.05

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
A : Copper-cupalite family
Dana 7th edition ID:1.1.1.2
Dana 8th edition ID:1.1.1.2

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
Hey's CIM Ref.:1.2

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
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Occurrences of Silver

Geological Setting:1) Primary Hydrothermal veins
2) Secondary enrichment
3) Alluvial nuggets

Physical Properties of Silver

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Silver-white, tarnishes dark gray to black
Streak:Silver white
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=61 - 65 kg/mm2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Malleable
Cleavage:None Observed
None
Fracture:None observed
Density (measured):10.1 - 11.1 g/cm3
Density (calculated):10.497 g/cm3

Crystallography of Silver

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m (F4/m 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 4.0862Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 68.23 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals are cubic, octahedral, dodecahedral to a cm. Often elongated to many cm in herring bone twins and wires (crystals elongated along the [111] axis)
Twinning:Penetration twins on (111) with cubes from Kongsberg and tetrahexahedrons from Michigan (bearpaws). Arbourescent growths twinned on (100) and on (111).
Crystal Atlas:
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Silver no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Silver no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Silver no.4 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
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Epitaxi Comments:"Halfbreeds" with Ag on Cu and more rarely Cu on Ag. The face centred lattice is continuous between the two minerals.
Wires with black Acanthite crystals and coating form by continuing the face centred cubic silver between the minerals.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
2.359 (100)
2.044 (40)
1.231 (26)
1.445 (25)
0.9375 (15)
1.8341 (13)

Optical Data of Silver

Type:Isotropic
Reflectivity:
400nmR=69.8%
420nmR=71.0%
440nmR=73.2%
480nmR=75.0%
500nmR=76.8%
520nmR=78.2%
540nmR=79.5%
560nmR=80.8%
580nmR=82.5%
600nmR=83.2%
620nmR=84.0%
640nmR=84.6%
660nmR=85.2%
680nmR=86.0%
700nmR=86.5%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 86.5%.
Colour in reflected light:brilliant silver white
Internal Reflections:none
Pleochroism:Non-pleochroic

Chemical Properties of Silver

Formula:
Ag
Essential elements:Ag
All elements listed in formula:Ag
Analyical Data:Apart from the Gold-Silver series, native silver is often relatively pure (especially secondary silver). It often contains significant amounts of mercury (up to 20%) and antimony (up to 5%). Reported copper- and arsenic-rich varieties.
Au      0.004
Cu      0.011
Fe      0.024
Sb      0.581
Hg      1.130
Total 100.2
Empirical Formula:
Ag
Common Impurities:Au,Hg,Cu,Sb,Bi

Relationship of Silver to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Gold (see here)
Forms a series with Palladium (see here)
Related to:
  • Copper Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
    1.AA.05Aluminium
    Al
    1.AA.05Copper
    Cu
    1.AA.05Electrum
    (Au, Ag)
    1.AA.05Gold
    Au
    1.AA.05Lead
    Pb
    1.AA.05Nickel
    Ni
    1.AA.10Auricupride
    Cu
     
    3
    		Au
    1.AA.10Tetra-auricupride
    AuCu
    1.AA.10Cuproauride
    1.AA.10Rozhkovite
    1.AA.15Anyuiite
    Au(Pb,Sb)
     
    2
    1.AA.15Khatyrkite
    (Cu,Zn)Al
     
    2
    1.AA.15Iodine
    I
    1.AA.15Novodneprite
    AuPb
     
    3
    1.AA.20Cupalite
    (Cu,Zn)Al
    1.AA.25Hunchunite
    Au
     
    2
    		Pb
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
    1.1Copper
    Cu
    1.5Gold
    Au
    1.6Auricupride
    Cu
     
    3
    		Au
    1.7Tetra-auricupride
    AuCu
    1.8Zinc
    Zn
    1.9Cadmium
    Cd
    1.10Danbaite
    CuZn
     
    2
    1.11Zhanghengite
    CuZn
    1.12Mercury
    Hg
    1.13Kolymite
    Cu
     
    7
    		Hg
     
    6
    1.14Moschellandsbergite
    Ag
     
    2
    		Hg
     
    3
    1.15Eugenite
    Ag
     
    11
    		Hg
     
    2
    1.16Schachnerite
    Ag
     
    1.1
    		Hg
     
    0.9
    1.17Paraschachnerite
    Ag
     
    3
    		Hg
     
    2
    1.18Luanheite
    Ag
     
    3
    		Hg
    1.19Weishanite
    (Au,Ag)
     
    3
    		Hg
     
    2
    1.20Indium
    In
    1.21Aluminium
    Al
    1.22Khatyrkite
    (Cu,Zn)Al
     
    2
    1.23Cupalite
    (Cu,Zn)Al
    1.24Diamond
    C
    1.25Graphite
    C
    1.26Chaoite
    C
    1.27Lonsdaleite
    C
    1.28Silicon
    Si
    1.29Tin
    Sn
    1.30Lead
    Pb
    1.31Anyuiite
    Au(Pb,Sb)
     
    2
    1.31Novodneprite
    AuPb
     
    3
    1.32Leadamalgam
    HgPb
     
    2
    1.33Arsenic
    As
    1.34Arsenolamprite
    As
    1.35Paxite
    CuAs
     
    2
    1.36Koutekite
    Cu
     
    5
    		As
     
    2
    1.37Domeykite
    Cu
     
    3
    		As
    1.38Algodonite
    (Cu
     
    1-x
    		As
     
    x
    		)
    1.39Novakite
    Cu
     
    20
    		AgAs
     
    10
    1.40Kutinaite
    Cu
     
    2
    		AgAs
    1.41Antimony
    Sb
    1.42Stibarsen
    AsSb
    1.43Paradocrasite
    Sb
     
    3
    		As
    1.44Horsfordite
    1.45Cuprostibite
    Cu
     
    2
    		(Sb,Tl)
    1.46Allargentum
    (Ag
     
    1-x
    		Sb
     
    x
    		)
    1.47Aurostibite
    AuSb
     
    2
    1.48Dyscrasite
    Ag
     
    3
    		Sb
    1.49Bismuth
    Bi
    1.50Maldonite
    Au
     
    2
    		Bi
    1.51Sulphur
    S
     
    8
    1.52Rosickýite
    S
    1.53Selenium
    Se
    1.54Tellurium
    Te
    1.55Chromium
    Cr
    1.56Rhenium
    Re
    1.57Iron
    Fe
    1.58Chromferide
    Fe
     
    3
    		Cr
     
    1-x
    		 (x=0.6)
    1.59Ferchromide
    Cr
     
    1.5
    		Fe
     
    0.5-x
    1.60Wairauite
    CoFe
    1.61Nickel
    Ni
    1.62Kamacite
    (Fe,Ni)
    1.63Taenite
    (Fe,Ni)
    1.64Tetrataenite
    FeNi
    1.65Awaruite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Fe
    1.66Palladium
    (Pd,Pt)
    1.67Potarite
    PdHg
    1.68Paolovite
    Pd
     
    2
    		Sn
    1.69Stannopalladinite
    (Pd,Cu)
     
    3
    		Sn
     
    2
    1.70Cabriite
    Pd
     
    2
    		SnCu
    1.71Taimyrite
    (Pd,Cu,Pt)
     
    3
    		Sn
    1.72Atokite
    (Pd,Pt)
     
    3
    		Sn
    1.73Rustenburgite
    (Pt,Pd)
     
    3
    		Sn
    1.74Zvyagintsevite
    (Pd,Pt,Au)
     
    3
    		(Pb,Sn)
    1.75Plumbopalladinite
    Pb
     
    2
    		Pd
     
    3
    1.76Osmium
    (Os,Ir,Ru)
    1.77Iridium
    (Ir,Os,Ru)
    1.82Platinum
    Pt
    1.83Hongshiite
    PtCu
    1.84Niggliite
    PtSn
    1.85Isoferroplatinum
    Pt
     
    3
    		Fe
    1.86Tetraferroplatinum
    PtFe
    1.87Tulameenite
    Pt
     
    2
    		CuFe
    1.88Ferronickelplatinum
    Pt
     
    2
    		FeNi
    1.89Rhodium
    (Rh,Pt)
    Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
    1.1.1.1Gold
    Au
    1.1.1.3Copper
    Cu

    Other Names for Silver

    Synonyms:
    ColqueNative SilverPlataPlata Nativa
    French names:
    Argent
    German names:
    HaarigsilberSilber
    Italian names:
    Argento
    Japanese names:
    自然銀
    Russian names:
    Серебро
    Traditional Chinese names:
    自然銀
    Varieties:
    AmalgamAntimonian SilverArqueriteArsenian SilverCuproarquerite
    KongsbergiteKüstelite

    Other Information

    Fluorescence in UV light:none
    Magnetism:Paramagnetic
    Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
    Industrial Uses:Electrical conductor, in photo-active chemicals in film and light darkening glass, jewelry, coinage.

    References for Silver

    Reference List:Guertler (1912) Metallographie. Berlin: 1: 769.

    McKeehan (1922) Physical Review, a Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics: 20: 424.

    Goldschmidt, Victor Mordechai (1923), Atlas der Krystallformen, Verlag Winters, Heidelberg: Vol. 8: 38.

    Holgersson and Sedström (1924) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 75: 143.
    Murphy (1931) Journal of the Institute of Metals, London, Proceedings: 46: 507.

    Broderick and Ehret (1931) Journal of Physical Chemistry: 35: 3322.

    Stenbeck (1933) Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie, Hamburg, Leipzig: 214: 16.

    Drier and Walker (1933) Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: 16: 294.

    Lindgren, Waldemar (1933): 600.

    Vegard and Kloster (1934) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 89: 560.

    Owen and Rogers (1935) Journal of the Institute of Metals, London: 57: 257.

    Montoro, V. (1938), Studio sulla orientazione preferenziale delle cristalliti nella varietà filiforme di argento nativo. Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma pp. 55-59.

    Peacock (1940) University of Toronto Studies, Geology Series: 44: 31.

    Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume I: 96-99.

    Zapiski Vserossiyskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva (1979): 108: 552-563.

    American Mineralogist (1980): 65: 1069.

    Extra Lapis No. 8 (1995).

    Internet Links for Silver

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Silver in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Silver details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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