-Silver is somewhat rare and expensive, but not as expensive as gold. Slag dumps in Asia Minor and on islands in the Aegean Sea specify that man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3000 B.C. Pure silver has a brilliant white metallic luster. It is a little harder than gold and is very bendable and compliant. Pure silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals, and possesses the lowest contact resistance.

Silver is stable in pure air and water, but tarnishes when exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air containing sulfur. It occurs in ores including argentite, lead, lead-zinc, copper and gold found in Mexico, Peru, and the USA.