Silver (identified by the symbol Ag on the Periodic Table of Elements, from the Latin argentum) is a metal typically found in mountainous regions where it is mined from the earth. Several major mines are found in South America, particularly in the Andes Mountains of Argentina and Peru, although it can commonly be found in many different countries. The United States is one such country. The Gold Rush of the mid-19th century is a famous event in American history, but Silver also played a large role in the settlement of the west and resulted in several rushes of its own in some states such as Colorado and Nevada. Today the United States is still the leader of silver consumption, though not production. While it is possible to find nuggets of pure silver this is extremely rare, more commonly it is found in a chemical combination with other elements like antimony, arsenic and sulfur. The most common combinations with silver are copper, lead and zinc. Worldwide 18,000 metric tons of silver is mined each year. Currently Mexico is the largest producer of silver in the world.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_mining
