Native Silver For Sale

Despite the abundance of silver items throughout the world, silver in its natural state, or native silver, is the rarest variety of the metal. Native silver is the uncombined form of silver, one of the few precious metallic elements to occur in native form. It most commonly occurs mixed with other elements like gold, mercury, arsenic, and antimony. Though it has an isometric crystal system, silver lacks a set crystalline structure and forms in flakes, small plates, or spindly, branching tendrils known as dendritic masses when in its native state. Branching varieties of native silver make an intriguing display piece and are highly prized by collectors and those who appreciate cool things.

Huge, Native Silver Formation in Calcite - Morocco #152621

Huge, 7.6" Native Silver Formation in Calcite - Morocco

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Native Silver Formation in Calcite - Morocco #152619

5.9" Native Silver Formation in Calcite - Morocco

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Native Silver Formation in Etched Calcite - Morocco #130775

2.9" Native Silver Formation in Etched Calcite - Morocco

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Native Silver Formation On Calcite - Morocco #152617

3.9" Native Silver Formation On Calcite - Morocco

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Native Silver and Cerussite Association - Bunker Hill Mine, Idaho #175878

1.8" Native Silver and Cerussite Association - Bunker Hill Mine, Idaho

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Dendritic Native Silver Cabochon #171355

1.75" Dendritic Native Silver Cabochon

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Etched Native Silver Formation in Calcite - Morocco #152582

1.05" Etched Native Silver Formation in Calcite - Morocco

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Dendritic Native Silver Oval Cabochon #171354

1.1" Dendritic Native Silver Oval Cabochon

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Natural, Native Silver Formation - Morocco #69543

2" Natural, Native Silver Formation - Morocco

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Native Silver in Calcite - Morocco #266131

2.4" Native Silver in Calcite - Morocco

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Native Silver Formation - Morocco #152614

.7" Native Silver Formation - Morocco

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Natural, Native Silver and Acanthite in Matrix - Morocco

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Natural, Native Silver in Matrix - Morocco

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Natural, Native Silver Specimen - Oumjrane, Morocco

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How Does Native Silver Form?

Native silver typically forms in veins and cavities around hydrothermal activity as a part of other rock formations. Large deposits of silver are uncommon because of the way it forms. It will most often appear in conjunction with other minerals or in the compositions of other minerals. Silver will sometimes form in oxidation zones above other metal deposits since it does not react with oxygen or water. The breakdown of sulfur in these zones is believed cause silver formation. Silver lacks a basic structure, so it forms in loose aggregations with itself or in matrix near hydrothermal activity.

Where Is Native Silver Found?

Silver is mined worldwide, thought typically as an ore associated with another metal. Because silver will form in areas of hydrothermal activity, most native silver is extracted from areas where magmatic activity ran rampant, such as volcanic mountain ranges. Native silver is harder to find, and only a few localities produce premium specimens. Mexico is currently the leading producer of silver ore, and also mines some truly impressive wiry masses of the native variety. The most famous specimens of large skeletal masses were exhumed in Norway, but these deposits have long been depleted: therefore, these specimens have significant value for collectors. “Recent” volcanic activity between Spain and Turkey has led to the production of some high-quality native silver specimens. As would be expected, areas along the Andes Mountain range, like Chile and Peru, also extract some premium native silver specimens. Australia, China, and Kazakhstan have started to gain critical acclaim for excellent silver coming out of their mines. Some of the best most recent areas for finding flashy, flaky native silver are in Morocco's Anti-Atlas Mountains. These specimens, often in association with calcite, are very large and make an excellent addition to any collector’s cabinet.

Common Associations

As previously mentioned, silver forms associations with other metals like gold, copper, lead, zinc, arsenic, and antimony. Native silver is often found with a matrix of some of the more abundant minerals such as calcite and especially quartz. Acanthite is another common associate of native silver because the mineral forms as silver tarnishes in air. Galena is another common association for native silver despite galena’s composition containing sulfur. Specimens of native silver and galena can exhibit dendritic branches that tend to be more droopy than might occur on quartz or when the mineral is by itself.

How Does Native Silver Form?

Where Is Native Silver Found?

Common Associations