Mineral - Silver
Silver
Chemical Properties
Mineral Class
Elements
Toxicity
none
Formula
Ag
Unit Cell
a=4.09 Z=4
Physical Properties
Hardness
2.5 - 3
Streak
whitesilver
Density
Very Heavy (>6)
Cleavage
Fracture
Tenacity
Elastic-flexible
Optical Properties
Color
graysilver
Birefringence
Luster
Metallic
Transparency
opaque
Pleochroism
Geomineralogical Properties
Crystal System
isometric
Point Group
hexoctahedral - 4/m 3 2/m
Space Group
Fm 3 m (225)
Habit
dendritic, fibrous, granular, curly, massive, acicular
Formation
(1) Primarily through precipitation from hydrothermal solutions in mostly epithermal veins
(2) Secondarily in the cementation zone through the reduction of dissolved silver ions (Ag+) from the oxidation zone of sulfide deposits
Paragenesis
Twinning
Contact twins after {111} - Spinel law
Rarity
Rather rare
Synonyms
Silver
Composition
Elements
Mass
Ag
98.45
Au
0.004
Cu
0.011
Fe
0.024
Hg
1.130
Sb
.0581
Norway (Palache et al. 1952)
Groups and Members
Copper-Group