Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Batopilas, Chihuahua, Mexique
SIZE : 12 x 5.5 x 0.5 cm

This specimen is a native silver crystallized in a calcite matrix. Silver has dendritics mixed together ("herringbones" motive). It comes from Batopilas in Chihuahua area of Mexico.

Acquired thanks to support from Total, it is currently exposed in the Room of the Treasure, within the Gallery of Mineralogy of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.

Photography : A. Dahmane / Photo Saint-Hilaire, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Native silver

HISTORY : Name inspired by the Greek word "αργυροσ" [arguros] that means bright. The chemical symbol Ag comes from the Latin "argentum". The English "silver" is from the old anglo-saxon "seolfor"

Species known since the Antiquity

Type-locality: undefined because species already known by the Ancients

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Ag
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Cubic
COLOR : Silvery white, dark gray to black
DIAPHANIETY : Opaque
LUSTER : Metallic
STREAK : White silvery
MORPHOLOGY : Cubic crystals, octahedra, as arborescent filaments
HARDNESS : 2,5-3,0
DENSITY : 10,497

CHEMICAL CLASS : I - Elements
GROUP : Copper
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 1/A.01-20
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 1.AA.05

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Native silver

Native silver

MNHN N°198.153

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