Silver
Image: Darla Sondrol (CC0)
Mineral NameSilver
Chemical FormulaAg
Mohs Hardness2.5
Crystal Systemcubic
Lustermetallic
Streak Colorsilver-white
Cleavagenone
Fracturehackly
Specific Gravity10.1
Colorssilver-white, yellow, brown, gray, black
Transparencyopaque
Type LocalityKongsberg, Norway
Mineral GroupNative Elements
Usesjewelry, coinage, industrial, collector, ore
Associated Mineralsquartz, calcite, argentite, galena, basalt
Rarityuncommon
Description
This image shows native silver embedded within a polished slab of dark basaltic rock. The silver appears as bright, metallic veins or disseminated grains, coated with an acrylic spray to prevent its characteristic tarnishing.
Geological Context
Native silver typically forms in hydrothermal veins, often associated with sulfide deposits, or in the oxidized zones of silver ore bodies. It can also occur in some volcanic rocks like basalt, as seen in this specimen.
