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Slag dumps in Asia Minor and on islands in the Aegean Sea indicate that man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3000 B.C. Silver occurs native and in ores such as argenite and horn silver; lead, lead-zinc, copper, gold, and copper-nickel ores are principal sources. It is a little harder than gold and is very ductile and malleable, being exceeded only by gold and perhaps palladium. It is stable in pure air and water, but tarnishes when exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air containing sulfur.
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