Silver oxide Silver oxide Silver(I) oxide is the chemical compound with the formula AgO. It is a fine black or dark brown powder that is used to prepare other silver compounds. Silver oxide can be prepared by combining aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and an alkali hydroxide. This reaction does not afford appreciable amounts of silver hydroxide due to the favorable energetics for the following reaction: US patent 20050050990 describes the preparation of AgO with properties suitable for use as a fine grained conductive paste filler. AgO features linear, two-coordinate Ag centers linked by tetrahedral oxides. It is isostructural with CuO. It
Silver mining The first major silver ore deposits in the United States were discovered at the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada, in 1859. Silver is commonly extracted from ore by smelting or chemical leaching. Ore treatment by mercury amalgamation, such as in the patio process or pan amalgamation was widely used through the 1800s, but is seldom used today. Silver is also produced during the electrolytic refining of copper and by application of the Parkes process on lead metal obtained from lead ores that contain small amounts of silver. Commercial grade fine silver is at least 99.9 percent pure silver and