What is Native Silver?
Native silver is a naturally occurring silver element valued for bright metallic colour, wire forms and its direct record of hydrothermal ore chemistry.
Mineralogy and crystal structure
Reference formula: Ag. Native silver is cubic and commonly grows as wires, sheets, dendrites or irregular masses. Tarnish, copper admixture and intergrowth with sulfides are common, so a bright surface alone is not proof of high purity. Native Silver is classified with elements and has a cubic crystal system. Typical hardness is 2.5–3 on the Mohs scale and specific gravity is approximately 10.5–10.6.
Colour, lustre and habit
Typical colours include silver-white, grey, blackened. The usual dendritic, wire, granular habit and metallic lustre help describe a specimen, but colour alone is not diagnostic.
Formation and notable localities
Native Silver forms in or is associated with low-temperature hydrothermal veins, oxidised silver deposits, volcanic fumaroles and supergene zones. Important documented localities include Mexico, Peru, Chile, Canada, Norway, Germany and the United States.
A natural silver wire from an ore vein
Silver wire and dendritic growths turn an economic metal into a delicate natural sculpture. A documented specimen also shows how reducing fluids can transport and redeposit silver in a vein.
Collecting and care
Protect from tarnish, abrasion and sulfur-rich materials; handle with clean dry hands and keep locality data with the specimen.
