He found that by adding germanium, a semiconductor element used in early transistors and now employed mainly in fiber optic equipment, the silver alloy didn't develop firestain. The same properties of germanium that thwarts firestain also prevents tarnish since they are both forms of oxidation. The largest silver maker in Northern Europe, the company has been working with Johns for six years to determine the right amount of germanium and other metals to produce a silver product that has the best characteristics of sterling but without the firestain. One of the biggest advantages for silver makers is that products can be fabricated with time-saving laser welding, a procedure that was previously impossible because of firestain. Adding germanium adds about 7 to 10 percent to the price of finished products.
Silver continues to play an increasingly important role in our daily lives.
Silver's expanding range of uses is rooted in sectors as diverse as photography, electronics, jewelry, coinage, and water purification. Frank McAllister, former Chairman and CEO of Asarco, and John Lefgren, of Lefgren Corporation have formed Vaasa Limited, a new venture to market this product in the United States. That firm is now engaged in discussions with various manufacturers about introducing this product to consumers here. In 1999, worldwide silver production reached 552 million ounces. North American production totaled 195 million ounces last year.