Silver

Silver comes from one primary source: Mining

Silver is removed from the earth in the form of an ore.
		Once removed from the earth this ore is loaded into trucks and later crushed, screened and placed in a solution along with sulfide. This will result in the silver ore loosing it’s silver.
The silver then floats free in this solution. This new silver solution goes into a tank where it is mixed with a chemical that binds to the silver and takes it out of the solution. This is now a highly concentrated silver mixture. This mixture can contain one of three other metals: zinc, lead or copper. The silver is then separated from the other metal, resulting in pure silver.
		This new pure silver can be used in photography, where it is the chemical that causes an image to appear on the negative and the print. Silver is also widely used in jewelry and flatware (silverware).

Points to Ponder:

• What other methods can we acquire silver?

• What do you think is the most costly part of silver production?

• Where do you believe we mine the most silver come from?