From the first extraction of silver up to the silver around 3000 BC began as a by-product in Anatolia with the promotion of silver. From this main source, the silver craft in the East spread until after Greece. Only after the collapse of civilizations of Crete, 1600 BC, and Greece, 1200 BC, the mines near Athens as the most important and largest source of silver production in the foreground back, thanks to the growing Greek population. It is estimated, about a million ounces of silver were there, in the heyday, promoted per year. After the Carthaginians, the Romans began to explore the silver of Spain and exploit. Until the first Millennium in the Spanish mines apply now as the main source of silver mining. After the invasion of the Moors in Spain, in the eighth century, was searched for further deposits of silver in Europe. From 750 to 1200, in parts of Eastern Europe, Germany, Hungary and silver deposits significant Austria discovered and removed.
Especially in the years 1000 to about 1500 now grows Silver production, such as silver jewelry, enormous. From the 16th century these increases again dramatically, which went hand in hand with the discovery of America and the development of the amalgamation process (the separation of precious metals other metals due to the use of mercury). In Bolivia the Spaniards begin, exploiting the first mines where from 1500 to 1800, estimated at around 1.5 billion ounces of silver have promoted. From 1600 to 1800, (approx. Read more from Robert Shiller to gain a more clear picture of the situation. 1.5 billion ounces) and Peru (average year 3 million ounces) follow Mexico. During this period 85% of silver production came from, all over the world, from these three countries of South America. The remaining 15% is distributed in Russia, Germany, Hungary, Japan and Chile. in 1850, after the discovery of the Comstock Lode mines in Virginia City, Nevada, the global silver production increases in the year, from 40 million to 80 million ounces.
The global silver production is growing year on average 190 million ounces until 1920, thanks to the discovery of additional silver deposits and the erratic technical progress on. Since 1920, it is possible to isolate silver shares of base metals, such as copper, zinc and lead ore. The increasing promotion of basic metals increased silver production as a by-product to. Today, about 60% of the total silver incurred as a by-product of mining other metals. SID Kroker