We don't have enough posts about minerals... there are reasons for that, some better than others. So, when we received an email from Matthew Wood at Learninghaven about a page his student, Penny, found while doing research for a project, we took notice! He sent us a link to a page about the history of silver mining in the US.
Silver mining has had a long history, from the Silver Rush and the Comstock Lode in the mid 1850's to the large finds in Butte, Montana and Utah in the 1880's, silver helped the United States develop into a world economic power. The largest remaining mine is the Red Dog mine in Alaska. Learn more here.
Humans have held silver dear since antiquity. In the ancient world, silver held a cultural and religious value that rivaled gold and precious jewels. The Greeks worshipped it as sacred to the goddess Artemis, the Egyptians used it in their temples, and the Chinese valued it over gold.
In the ancient world, silver served numerous purposes. It was the base for jewelry and amulets, served as the primary metal for coins and silverware, and was worshipped for its healing properties. Its usefulness led to a booming trade between such great empires as the Phoenicians, Romans, and Persians.
The demand for silver remains steady in today’s world, though its uses have changed. The modern silver industry fills demands for everything from solar panels and automobile parts to medicine and jewelry.
