Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Uchucchacua mine, Oyon Province, Peru
SIZE : 9.7 x 8 cm

This native silver shows loops and filaments on a white microcristallized calcite matrix. The silver wires are slightly and rather broad; they measure up to 1 cm in thickness. The finest wire are exquisite. It measures 9.7 x 8 cm.

This sample was discovered in the Peruvian mine of Uchucchacua. The native silvers resulting from this deposit are spectacular.

This sample is currently exposed in the Room of the Treasure, within the Gallery of Mineralogy of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle.

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © 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 - Éléments natifs
GROUP : Cuivre
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°201.195

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