A significant portion is also used in manufacturing water pipe. Copper, of course, has a characteristic color which most people recognize. Knowledge of the metal is of ancient origins. Refining methods are mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures and ancient Egyptian writing. Silver was once considered more valuable than gold, probably because gold was easier to locate and refine at the time.
Silver is ten times more abundant than gold.
Pure silver metal is the best conductor of heat and electricity. Pure silver would be too soft for jewelry and utensils so it is usually alloyed with at least one other metal. Silver can be found in high concentrations as argentite, Ag 2 S, but most is recovered in the refining processes of other metals such as copper. Most compounds of silver are light sensitive and a lot of silver bromide and silver chloride are used by the photographic industry. On average, a million tons of earth contain just ten pounds of gold.