Interactive Research

Interesting Facts About Silver (Slideshow)

Author: Frank Holmes

Date Posted: September 16, 2022 Read time: 2 min

Explore our slideshow to learn some interesting facts about the brilliantly white metal!

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Interesting Facts About Silver

Silver might not get the love gold enjoys, but its history and application in technology, art and medicine is just as compelling. Explore our slideshow to learn some interesting facts about the brilliantly white metal!

Interesting Facts About Silver

The mining of silver began between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago in Anatolia, or what is now modern-day Turkey. As early as 700 B.C., early Mediterranean civilizations were using the brilliant white metal as currency. Over the next several centuries, the epicenter of silver mining shifted from Greece to Spain to Germany to Eastern Europe.

Interesting Facts About Silver

The Spanish conquest of the Americas in the 16th century dramatically transformed silver production. From 1500 to 1800, a mere three countries controlled an 85 percent share of the world’s silver market: Peru, Mexico and Bolivia.

Interesting Facts About Silver

Today, major global players in silver production include Australia, Canada, the United States, Japan, Chile, Russia, Africa and Central America. About 671 million troy ounces of the precious metal are mined annually. In recent years, the price of silver has fluctuated between $19 and $24 an ounce. That amounts to approximately $13 trillion generated a year.

Interesting Facts About Silver

Silver’s melting point is 1,763°F whereas its boiling point is a blistering 4,013°, which is hotter than the inside of an active volcano.

Interesting Facts About Silver

Silver has many important, far-reaching technological and electronic applications. It’s used in everything from cell phones, computers and semiconductors to automobiles, water-purification systems and—because it is the best conductor of heat of all elements—spacecraft solar radiation tiles. Silver and aluminum, the world’s strongest alloy, is used in the construction of Apache helicopters and C-17 aircraft.

Interesting Facts About Silver

About 30 percent of silver consumption in the United States goes toward photography production, which requires silver nitrate.

Interesting Facts About Silver

Silver is the second most malleable and ductile element following gold. Just an ounce of it can be stretched into 8,000 feet of wire.

Interesting Facts About Silver

The white metal also has powerful antibacterial properties, which have been known since at least the days of the ancient Phoenicians, who kept water and wine in silver vessels to ensure freshness. Today, silver is found in bandages as well as surgical instruments, stethoscopes, catheters and other health care tools. Unlike other antibiotics, silver prevents bacteria from developing resistance to it.

Interesting Facts About Silver

There are many ways to invest in silver, including bullion, coins, medallions, ETFs, mutual funds and accumulation plans.

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