Vote for your favorite mineral in #MinCup26! - Erythrite vs. Skutterudite
Pretty pink and poisonous Erythrite is against its shiny silver and structurally-useful Skutterudite.
Log InRegister
Quick Links : The Mindat ManualThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMindat Newsletter [Free Download]
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatCorporate SponsorshipSponsor a PageSponsored PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on Mindat
Learning CenterWhat is a mineral?The most common minerals on earthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesThe ElementsThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryGeologic TimeExplore Fossils
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
Mining CompaniesStatisticsUsersMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryDevice SettingsThe Mineral QuizTime Machine
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColorPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Native Silver

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Hide all sections | Show all sections

About Native SilverHide

Formula:
Ag
Colour:
Silver-white, tarnishes dark gray to black
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
2½ - 3
Specific Gravity:
10.1 - 11.1
Crystal System:
Isometric
Member of:
Name:
An Old English word "seolfor" whose original meaning is now lost. The current spelling "silver" was known as early as 1478. Known in ancient Roman times as argentum. The chemical element abbreviation Ag comes from argentum.
Copper Group. Gold-Silver Series and Palladium-Silver Series.

Native Silver is the preferred name here for the natural mineral, although the IMA officially uses simply the name 'silver' for the mineral.

Silver is used in jewelry, tableware, coins, scientific equipment and in photographic processes. Silver tarnishes black with a surface layer of acanthite (silver sulphide), especially when placed in proximity to sulphurous compounds. It is primarily found as a constituent of hydrothermal veins. It is often found associated with copper. Unlike gold, it is soluble in any oxidizing mineral acid.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
3664
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3664:7

Similar NamesHide

IMA Classification of Native SilverHide

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

Classification of Native SilverHide

1.AA.05

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
A : Copper-cupalite family
Dana 7th ed.:
1.1.1.2
1.1.1.2

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
1.2

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
AgIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
AgThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Pronunciation of Native SilverHide

Pronunciation:
PlayRecorded byCountry
Jolyon RalphUnited Kingdom

Physical Properties of Native SilverHide

Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Silver-white, tarnishes dark gray to black
Streak:
Silver white
Hardness:
2½ - 3 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=61 - 65 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Malleable
Cleavage:
None Observed
None
Fracture:
None observed
Density:
10.1 - 11.1 g/cm3 (Measured)    10.497 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of Native SilverHide

Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)R2 (%)
400nm83.4%81.0%
420nm84.5%82.0%
440nm86.0%83.5%
460nm87.7%85.3%
470nm88.4%86.0%
480nm89.1%86.8%
500nm90.5%88.2%
520nm91.8%89.7%
540nm93.0%91.1%
546nm93.4%91.5%
560nm93.5%91.6%
580nm93.7%91.8%
589nm93.9%91.9%
600nm94.0%92.0%
620nm94.4%92.4%
640nm94.7%92.8%
650nm94.9%93.0%
660nm95.2%93.3%
680nm95.6%93.9%
700nm96.0%94.3%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 96.0%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
brilliant silver white
Internal Reflections:
none
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Comments:
Reflectivity data from Criddle & Stanley (1993).

Chemistry of Native SilverHide

Mindat Formula:
Ag
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Ag100.000 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Common Impurities:
Au,Hg,Cu,Sb,Bi

Crystallography of Native SilverHide

Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3m(4/m32/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:
Fm3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.0862 Å
Unit Cell V:
68.23 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals are cubic, octahedral, dodecahedral to a cm. Often elongated to many cms in herringbone twins and wires (crystals elongated along the [111] axis).
Twinning:
Penetration twins on (111) with cubes from Kongsberg and tetrahexahedrons from Michigan (bearpaws). Arborescent growths twinned on (100) and on (111).

Crystallographic forms of Native SilverHide

Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
Click on an icon to view
View 3D crystal model
Silver no.1 - {111} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
View 3D crystal model
Silver no.2 - {100} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
View 3D crystal model
Silver no.4 - {111} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by www.smorf.nl.

Toggle
Edge Lines | Miller Indices | Axes

Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent

View
Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation

Crystal StructureHide

Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File    Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0012936Native SilverJette E R, Foote F (1935) Precision determination of lattice constants Journal of Chemical Physics 3 605-6161935synthetic0298
0013118Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic0293
0018576Native SilverNovgorodova M I, Gorshkov A I, Mokhov A V (1981) Native silver and its new structural modifications International Geology Review 23 485-4941981northeast USSR0293
0018575Native SilverNovgorodova M I, Gorshkov A I, Mokhov A V (1981) Native silver and its new structural modifications International Geology Review 23 485-4941981northeast USSR0293
0018574Native SilverNovgorodova M I, Gorshkov A I, Mokhov A V (1981) Native silver and its new structural modifications International Geology Review 23 485-4941981northeast USSR0293
0015127Native SilverDavey W P (1925) Lattice constants of twelve common metals Physical Review 25 753-7611925synthetic0293
0015126Native SilverDavey W P (1925) Lattice constants of twelve common metals Physical Review 25 753-7611925synthetic0293
0014951Native SilverOwen E A, Yates E L (1933) Precision measurements of crystal parameters Philosophical Magazine 15 472-4881933synthetic0291
0013119Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic0576
0013120Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic0671
0013121Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic0774
0013122Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic0875
0013123Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic0975
0013124Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic01076
0013125Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic01174
0013126Native SilverSuh I-K, Ohta H, Waseda Y (1988) High-temperature thermal expansion of six metallic elements measured by dilatation method and X-ray diffraction Journal of Materials Science 23 757-7601988synthetic01228
0011135Native SilverWyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York Cubic closest packed, ccp, structure Crystal Structures 1 7-8319630293
0018275Native SilverSpreadborough J, Christian J (1959) High-temperature X-ray diffractometer _cod_database_code 1100136 Journal of Scientific Instruments 36 116-11819590293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Epitaxy Comments:
Mixtures with Ag on Cu and more rarely Cu on Ag. The face centred lattice is continuous between the two minerals.
Wires with black Acanthite crystals and coating form by continuing the face centred cubic silver between the minerals.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
2.359 Å(100)
2.044 Å(40)
1.231 Å(26)
1.445 Å(25)
0.9375 Å(15)
1.8341 Å(13)
0.9137 Å(12)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust>4.50
7 : Ultramafic igneous rocks
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks>3.0
36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks
Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics<3.5-2.5
38 : Ophiolites
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals]
Geological Setting:
1) Primary hydrothermal veins
2) Secondary enrichment
3) Alluvial nuggets

Synonyms of Native SilverHide

Other Language Names for Native SilverHide

Afrikaans:Silwer
Albanian:Argjendi
Amharic:ብር
Arabic:فضة
Armenian:Արծաթ
Asturian:Plata
Azeri:Gümüş
Basque:Zilar
Belarusian:Серабро
Bengali:রূপা
Bishnupriya Manipuri:প্রাটা
Bosnian:Srebro
Bulgarian:Сребро
Catalan:Plata
Chuvash:Кĕмĕл
Corsican:Argentu
Croatian:Srebro
Czech:Stříbro
Dutch:Zilver
Erzya:Сия
Esperanto:Arĝento
Estonian:Hõbe
Farsi/Persian:نقره
Finnish:Hopea
French:Argent
Friulian:Arint
Galician:Prata
Guarani:Itatĩ
Haitian:Ajan
Hakka:Ngiùn
Hebrew:כסף
Hungarian:Ezüst
Icelandic:Silfur
Indonesian:Perak
Irish Gaelic:Airgead
Italian:Argento
Japanese:自然銀
Javanese:Perak
Kapampangan:Pilak
Korean:
Kurdish (Latin Script):Zîv
Latin:Argentum
Latvian:Sudrabs
Limburgian:Zèlver
Lithuanian:Sidabras
Lojban:Rijno
Low Saxon/Low German:Sülver
Luxembourgish:Sëlwer
Malay:Perak
Manx:Argid
Maori:Kawata
Min Nan:Ag
Norman:Ergent
Norwegian:Gedigent Sølv
Norwegian (Nynorsk):Gedigent Sølv
Occitan:Argent
Polish:Srebro
Portuguese:Prata
Ripuarian:Silber
Romanian:Argint
Scottish Gaelic:Airgead
Serbian:Сребро
Serbo-Croatian:Srebro
Sicilian:Argentu
Simplified Chinese:自然银
Slovak:Striebro
Slovenian:Srebro
Spanish:Plata
Swahili:Agenti
Tajik (Cyrillic Script):Нуқра
Tatar:Kömeş
Traditional Chinese:自然銀
Turkish:Gümüş
Ukrainian:Срібло
Uzbek (Latin Script):Kumush
Venetian:Arxento
Vietnamese:Bạc
Welsh:Arian
Yiddish:זילבער
Zhuang:Ngaenz
Zulu:Isiliva

Varieties of Native SilverHide

AmalgamA Hg-bearing variety of silver. Compare kongsbergite and arquerite.
Compare also luanheite, schachnerite, paraschachnerite, eugenite.
Antimonial Silver
Antimony-bearing SilverA variety of silver containing up to about 5% of antimony.
ArqueriteA variety of silver containing 13% of mercury, applied to the malleable "amalgam" described by I. Domeyko (1841).

Originally described from Arqueros Ag Mining District, La Serena, Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region, Chile.
Arsenic-bearing SilverA variety of silver containing up to about 7% of arsenic.
ChileniteBismuth-bearing variety of Silver.
CuproarqueriteVariety of Amalgam containing copper.
Gold-bearing SilverA gold-bearing variety of silver.
Compare electrum.
KongsbergiteA variety of silver with about 5% Hg.
Compare native amalgam and arquerite.

KüsteliteGold-Silver Series. A variety of silver defined as containing 10% - 30% of Gold.

Relationship of Native Silver to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Other Members of Copper Group:
MaldoniteAu2BiIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m
Native CopperCuIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
Native GoldAuIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
Forms a series with:

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
1,395 photos of Native Silver associated with AcanthiteAg2S
1,126 photos of Native Silver associated with CalciteCaCO3
714 photos of Native Silver associated with Native CopperCu
616 photos of Native Silver associated with QuartzSiO2
274 photos of Native Silver associated with GalenaPbS
263 photos of Native Silver associated with Native ArsenicAs
191 photos of Native Silver associated with BorniteCu5FeS4
181 photos of Native Silver associated with SphaleriteZnS
176 photos of Native Silver associated with CupriteCu2O
174 photos of Native Silver associated with ChalcociteCu2S

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

1.AA.JonlarseniteAl4Cu9Iso. 43m : P43m
1.AA.PratesiiteAgCuTe2Orth. mm2 : Pmm2
1.AA.05Native LeadPbIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05aAuricupride Subgroup
1.AA.05Native NickelNiIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05'UM2004-08-E:AuCuPd'Cu2PdAu
1.AA.05'UM1991-06-E:AuCu'Au3Cu
1.AA.05Native AluminiumAlIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05SteinhardtiteAl0.38Ni0.32Fe0.30Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Im3m
1.AA.05Native GoldAuIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05Native CopperCuIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.AA.05Copper Group
1.AA.10aCuproaurideCu3Au
1.AA.10bTetra-auricuprideAuCuTet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : P4/mmm
1.AA.10aAuricuprideCu3AuIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
1.AA.10Nickel Group
1.AA.15AnyuiiteAuPb2Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mcm
1.AA.15NovodnepriteAuPb3Tet. 42m : I42m
1.AA.15'UM1985-02-E:AlZn'(Zn,Cu)Al2
1.AA.15Khatyrkite(Cu,Zn)Al2Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mcm
1.AA.20Cupalite(Cu,Zn)AlOrth.
1.AA.25HunchuniteAu2PbIso. m3m(4/m32/m)
1.AA.30StolperiteAlCuIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
1.AA.35HollisteriteAl3FeMon. 2/m : B2/m
1.AA.40IcosahedriteAl63Cu24Fe13Icos. 53m : Fm35
1.AA.45Kryachkoite(Al,Cu)6(Fe,Cu)Orth. mm2 : Cmc21
1.AA.50ProxidecagoniteAl34Ni9Fe2Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma

Fluorescence of Native SilverHide

Other InformationHide

Magnetism:
Paramagnetic
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
An electrical conductor, in photoactive chemicals in film and light darkening glass, jewelry, coinage.

Native Silver in petrologyHide

An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.

    Internet Links for Native SilverHide

    References for Native SilverHide

    Reference List:

    Localities for Native SilverHide

    Showing 6,818 localities.

    This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide all sections | Show all sections

    Locality ListShow

    This section is currently hidden. Click the show button to view.
     
    and/or  
    Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
    Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
    Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
    To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
    Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: September 2, 2026 04:39:52 Page updated: August 20, 2026 05:38:02
    Go to top of page