Silver Metal – History and Uses

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Why is silver seen as such a precious metal?

Silver is just above gold in the periodic table, so has a very similar make-up to gold.

Silver is a good weight, silver is beautiful to look at and silver does not corrode.

Silver is also very easy to work with – silver has been worked into shapes and used since the times of early man. Silver was first mined in 3000BC but it wasn’t until around 500BC that it was recognised as official coinage.

What is silver used for?

We know that silver is used to make silverware and jewellery but silver is also used extensively in industry. Silver is commonly used within appliances switches. Within the switches, contacts made of silver make switching the appliance on and off, safe.

Silver has had many other uses. Water, milk, wine and vinegar remain purer for longer within silver vessels. Thousands of years ago King Cyrus of Persia would store his water, drawn from a specific stream, in silver containers to be carried around in carts wherever he went.

In 1813, Nicholas Niepce created the first photographic image with the help of silver nitrate.

In 1884, Dr Carl Crede used silver to help halt a disease that was causing generations of children to be blind at birth.

Emerging uses of silver

Silver paste is used in the most common type of solar panel for creating electricity.

Silver can aid water purification. Silver prevents bacteria and algae build-up and is safer than chemicals used for the same purpose (such as chlorine and bromine). And specifically, silver ions can destroy Legionnaire’s Disease.

In the medical world, silver infused bandages are helping burn and wound victims by preventing infection and speeding healing.