Silver is a chemical element; it has symbol Ag (from Latin argentum) and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and reflectivity of any metal. Silver is found in the Earth's crust in the pure, free elemental form ("native silver"), as an alloy with gold (electrum) and other metals, and in minerals such as acanthite, argentite and chlorargyrite. Most silver is recovered as a byproduct of lead–zinc, copper and gold mining and refining.
Silver has long been valued as a precious metal and coinage metal. It is one of the seven metals of antiquity, and has had an enduring role in monetary systems, jewellery, tableware and decorative arts. Its purity is commonly measured on a per-mille basis; a 94%-pure alloy is described as "0.940 fine". Because pure silver is relatively soft, silver used in jewellery, coinage and household objects is often alloyed with copper or other metals.
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