Silver was first mined around 3,000 BCE in Anatolia, now located in modern-day Turkey. The precious metal helped early civilizations in the Near East, Ancient Greece to flourish.

When was silver first discovered and by who?

The first evidence of silver mining dates back to 3000 B.C., in Turkey and Greece, according to the RSC. Ancient people even figured out how to refine silver. They heated the silver ore and blew air over it, a process called cupellation.

Where is silver found?

Silver can be found across many geographies, but about 57% of the world's silver production comes from the Americas, with Mexico and Peru supplying 40%. Outside of the Americas, China, Russia, and Australia combine to make up nearly 22% of the world's production.