In Latin, the name of this noble metal sounds like “argentum” and goes back to the most ancient of languages, Sanskrit. It is translated as “clear, bright.” The ancient Egyptians called silver the moon. Argentina got its name thanks to this metal, since it is in this country that the largest deposits of silver are found. The metal has been known to people for a very long time, although later than gold, because silver practically does not occur in nature in its pure form. This metal was considered sacred in those days, and a little later it became popular among alchemists and healers. Wealthy townspeople and nobles preferred silver dishes, and, of course, silver coins. Silver began to be actively used at the beginning of the last century, not only for the manufacture of household utensils, dishes, spoons, forks, candlesticks and other things, but also in other areas.
It has received particular application in the production of various radio components for the military-industrial complex, in the electrical and radio-electronic industries. In addition to silver-plated parts, often in the 50-70s of the 20th century, parts were made from pure silver. Production equipment is lined with silver, and a metal such as titanium can only be fused with special devices containing silver in large quantities. Silver-zinc or silver-cadmium alloy batteries contain electrodes that are manufactured using nearly pure silver.
Silver also finds its application in the food industry, thanks to such a unique property as purifying products from pathogenic bacteria; the metal is used for the production of devices for the production of baby food (juices, purees) and for water purification. Modern medicine also cannot do without the use of silver and its alloys. Silver is included in many prostheses and endoprostheses, along with titanium and other rare metals. Medical devices are also produced using this precious metal.
It is safe to say that silver finds its application in almost any area of industry, but the metal is mined in smaller quantities than necessary, which means that the recycling of silver is a very important process that allows replenishing metal reserves.
Technical silver is contained in many parts and RECs that were produced during the Soviet Union, but there is also a lot of it in tableware (spoons, forks, trays, candelabra), in award cups (Soviet-style), and, of course, in jewelry . You probably won’t believe it, but silver is also found in many objects that surround us. It is also found in mirror images, in old glass Christmas tree decorations, as well as in glass photographic plates and other photographic materials.
Where is a lot of silver found?
It is present in greater quantities directly in massive radio devices and silver-plated products. However, it is quite difficult to extract it from them. This process is quite labor-intensive. If we talk about the possibility of extracting it using chemistry, it should be noted that it is a weakly reactive metal.
Nevertheless, the extraction of precious metal from radio components has long been a good source of income for people knowledgeable in this matter. This article will talk about the extraction of precious metals, in particular silver, from radio components and the percentage of its content in them.
The main source of precious metal is Soviet-era electronic computers, various control units, and again Soviet radio equipment.
It should be borne in mind that most of the various precious metals are contained in Soviet civilian and military devices. If we take only silver, then it is contained in microscopic doses in radio products and electronic elements.
The largest percentage contains connector contacts, up to 60% silver. As a rule, silver in radio components is not in pure form, but in an alloy.
If we take it in general, there are few types, types of parts and elements containing this precious metal. Relay contacts, capacitors, diodes, transistors, resistance contacts and connectors - these are the radio products richest in this metal.
Extracting it from each part is a rather labor-intensive process, since the silver is “smeared” on the electronic scrap.
Therefore, its removal at home is possible only from certain types of radio parts.
You may be interested in: What is rhodium plated silver, advantages and disadvantages, care rules
We provide more specific information on the precious metal content in the fuse link, capacitors, relays based on production in grams per thousand pieces:
- VP1-1 15.611g;
- K15-5 29.901 g;
- K10-7V 13.652 g;
- RES6 - 157 g;
- RSCh52 - 688 g;
- RKMP1-132 gr;
- RWM - 897.4 g.
Silver (Argentum) from A to Z. Part 1: types
Silver (Argentum) is a metal that has been known to man since ancient times. It is found in nature in a native state (pure silver) and in the form of compounds with other chemical elements (sulfur, chlorine, selenium, copper, gold, lead, etc.). Chemically pure silver has a beautiful white color with yellowish tints; romantic natures draw a parallel with moonlight. The metal's properties are softer than copper, but harder than gold. It is easy to roll, draw and wire and forge. Impurities in silver greatly change its strength. From here, let's go in more detail and look at silver samples. The hallmark of a piece of silver jewelry depends on the amount of impurities in the product. Typically, the following impurities are used in the jewelry business: copper, aluminum, nickel, zinc and cadmium. The alloy of silver with cadmium is highly valued, but due to the high cost of cadmium, such an alloy is not found very often. The fineness of silver shows what percentage of pure silver is contained in the jewelry alloy. For example, .925 means that the alloy contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% supporting metal, usually 925 silver is also called sterling silver.
Why is 925 silver very common all over the world?
Sterling silver is a jewelry alloy containing 92.5% pure silver and an additive of copper mixed at 1,640 degrees Fahrenheit. Sterling silver is a white alloy of high strength and durability. It is believed that sterling silver got its name due to the fact that it was from this alloy that pound sterling coins were made in England. In fact, the alloy became “sterling” thanks to the Easterling family, who once lived in Northern Germany. The Easterlings were so famous for their honesty that the English king Edward I commissioned them to make metal coins for his kingdom. The resulting silver coins were so good that “sterling” still denotes the highest degree of reliability.
In addition to sterling silver, there are several other types, let's look at the most popular:
- Filigree silver is a true jewelry masterpiece, which is created thanks to the strength of the silver alloy. Jewelers forge very thin silver threads: their thickness is sometimes less than the thickness of a human hair. These threads are used to create complex openwork decorations that are unusually light and elegant; they evoke lasting associations with the elusive moonlight. These products are called filigree silver.
b
Making filigree silver is hard, painstaking and time-consuming work; the highest skill in jewelry, known from the most ancient times. There are two types of silver filigree: openwork and background (brazed).
Openwork filigree silver is a lace pattern with a clearly visible through pattern.
With background filigree, the end-to-end pattern is not visible, because silver lace is attached to a moon metal background.
2. Blackened silver was previously considered a talisman; many mystical properties were attributed to it. It does not need cleaning and looks very aristocratic. Blackened silver is made using the so-called niello, that is, an alloy of silver, lead and copper, which was heated on the surface of the metal. As a result of melting the niello, black lines remain only on the silver, giving it relief and sophistication. This type of silver does not need cleaning.
Lexus car color: silver with blackening! Not only jewelers are attracted by this combination!
Dragon figurine
3. Matte silver is as durable as sterling alloy. This silver, coated with an emulsion, looks very unusual and at the same time noble. Exquisite matte jewelry is obtained by treating the surface of silver with a special emulsion to obtain micro-roughness on it.
4. Coin silver , here I think it is clear that we are talking about alloys that are used for minting coins. At the same time, the percentage of silver itself to various additives such as copper in the coin type of material can be different.
To be continued…
Seizure methods
There are only two most common variants of the presence of silver in radio components:
- Applied in a thin layer to the external or internal part of the part.
- Contained in almost pure form.
The first option is more labor-intensive both in time and effort. A topic that requires a separate long discussion, since various acids are used here in a certain ratio and temperature conditions: hydrochloric, sulfuric, nitric.
Methods of cupellation, electrical and chemical refining are used,
In the second case, the simplest and most accessible to any schoolchild, the body is removed from the parts and the silver contacts are simply cut off. This process is quite labor-intensive, but simpler than the first.
The highest silver content is in radio components: connectors, contact relays, starters, ceramic capacitors, radio lamps. But most of all its content is in relays and Soviet microswitches.
In one relay you can get 2-3 grams of pure 817 silver. In massive electrical contacts, it is bitten off with wire cutters or sawed off.
Pure silver is usually found, but is sometimes found in alloys. In this case, it is silver from 400 to 900 samples. It is easier to remove it from large structures, but, as a rule, the silver there is of low quality and contains a large percentage of impurities.
Small parts require more time and effort, but the metal is pure or 999 pure. Unlike large radio components, chemistry is again used here.
Unique properties of radio engineering silver
Almost all radio components contain silver, which can be extracted regardless of the sample. The highest concentration of the substance is found in devices manufactured in the USSR.
Sell technical silver
The precious metal is unique in its technical and operational characteristics, thanks to which it is widely used in radio engineering. This is a soft, plastic material that is easy to process, melts, cuts, rolls and forges well. Silver is also used in alloys with other metals. The resulting compounds have low electrical resistance, while remaining good electrical and thermal conductors.
Silver mining in Russia
Russia is one of the five leading countries in silver production, increasing production volumes year after year (see table above). The industry leader is Polymetal OJSC, which develops deposits in several regions of our country.
Source: mineral.ru
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