Silverbearing

Silverbearing is an adjective used in geology and mining to describe rocks, minerals, or ores that contain silver as a constituent. The term denotes that silver can be economically recovered from the material, either as a primary commodity or as a byproduct of processing other metals. In ore geology, silverbearing deposits commonly consist of argentiferous minerals, such as galena that contains silver, argentite and acanthite (silver sulfides), tetrahedrite-tennantite (silver-bearing sulfosalts), and silver sulfosalts like proustite and pyrargyrite.

Ore grading varies; silver content is typically reported in grams per tonne or troy ounces per ton, and mine economics depend on grade, metallurgy, and prevailing prices. Silverbearing ores undergo beneficiation, often flotation to concentrate the silver-bearing minerals, followed by smelting and refining to recover metallic silver. Some ores are processed by cyanidation or other methods depending on mineralogy.

Outside mining, the term may be used loosely to describe materials containing trace or decorative silver, or to characterize objects that bear a silver surface.

See also: argentiferous ore, silver ore.