![]() Electronics demand silver of the highest purity: 99.99% pure, also known as having a fineness of 999.9.ĭissolving pure silver in nitric acid produces silver nitrate, which can be formed into powder or flakes. Then, the silver is usually shaped into bars or grains. Smelting and refining removes silver from the ore. ![]() How does silver get from the earth to these electronic devices? Silver comes from silver mines or from lead and zinc mines from which silver is a by-product. Industrial strength switches use silver, too. Automobiles are full of contacts that control electronic features, and so are consumer appliances. Whether turning on a bedroom light using a conventional switch or turning on a microwave using a membrane switch, the result is the same: the current can pass through only when the contacts are joined. Silver's unsurpassed thermal and electrical conductivity among metals means it cannot easily be replaced by less expensive materials.įor example, small quantities of silver are used as contacts in electrical switches: join the contacts, and the switch is on separate them and the switch is off. The number one use of silver in industry is in electronics. ![]() These qualities ensure that silver will continue to shine in the industrial arena, while its long history in coinage and jewelry will sustain its status as a symbol of wealth and prestige. Silver can be ground into powder, turned into paste, shaved into flakes, converted into a salt, alloyed with other metals, flattened into printable sheets, drawn into wires, suspended as a colloid, or even employed as a catalyst. Meanwhile, its photosensitivity has given it a place in film photography.īecause it is more abundant, silver is much less expensive than gold. Its malleability, which allows it to be flattened into sheets, and ductility, which allows it to be drawn into thin, flexible wire, make it the best choice for numerous industrial applications. Its high luster and reflectivity make it perfect for jewelry, silverware, and mirrors. Its antimicrobial, non-toxic qualities make it useful in medicine and consumer products. Because it is the best thermal and electrical conductor of all the metals, silver is ideal for electrical applications. Silver is a precious metal because it is rare and valuable, and it is a noble metal because it resists corrosion and oxidation, though not as well as gold.
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