Silver
Most silver mined in Australia is associated with the lead mineral, galena. It can also be discovered in a gold-silver alloy known as 'electrum.'
Silver has many industrial uses but is most commonly recognised as valuable pieces of jewellery. When silver is mixed with copper it becomes known as sterling silver. Stirling silver is much harder than pure silver which allows it to be made into cutlery and other decorative tableware.
Silver has long been used in the making of coins. The Romans were known to trade with silver coins more than 2000 years ago. Australia had continued this tradition up until as late as 1966 when the 50 cent piece, made of 20 percent copper and 80 percent silver, was discontinued.
Mexico is the only country in the world today that still uses silver in its currently circulating currency. However, history shows that silver was mined as long as 5,000 years ago and it remains so today with an average of 671 million troy ounces being mined annually around the world.
Silver is Widely Used in Modern Society
Silver is an important component in electrical products because it is one of the best conductors of electricity available and it doesn't corrode. For this reason its used in the following applications:
Electrical switches
Fuses and contacts
Microwave ovens
Dishwashers
Computers
Electrical toys
Telephones
Televisions
In fact, practically all electrical appliances use silver. For instance, the average washing machine has no less than 16 contacts containing silver. Because silver is such a good conductor of heat it is the main component in the silver-ceramic lines you see on your car rear window that's used for clearing the glass to remove condensation, ice and frost from the surface. Silver is used to treat burns to your body with a cover known as silver sulfadiazine. It is also used as fillings for teeth. Because of the reflective qualities of silver, the best reflector yet invented, it is used as a coating at the back of mirrors. Metals are coated with silver by a process known as electroplating.
In 1813 Joseph Nicephore Niepce discovered how to photograph an image by using silver nitrate. Today one of the biggest uses of silver is in the production of photographic film and paper because over 5000 colour reproductions can be achieved with only one ounce of silver.
The Scarcity of Silver
Silver is only found in very small quantities. In fact it only makes up five parts in a million of the Earth's crust. This can be equated to you buying a million raffle tickets during your lifetime and only five of them would have contained the winning number. On the other hand, if you weighed 60 kilograms and were made of silver, you would be worth $57,600 on today's price of about $30 an ounce.
Australia has the Worlds Largest Economic Reserves of Silver
Australia is known to have more economic reserves of silver than any other country on earth. It leads Mexico, Canada and the United States respectively. Australia is now in this position as a result of the development of the zinc/silver deposits at McArthur River in the Northern Territory and the Century and Cannington lead, silver and zinc deposits in Queensland.
Australia first began mining silver in 1883 when lead and silver was discovered at Broken Hill in New South Wales by Charles Rasp. The same ore body is still being mined today some 130 years later. This mine was at one time Australia's largest producer of lead and silver. The Broken Hill deposit was responsible for the founding of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company limited. The forerunner of global miner, BHP Billiton, although BHP Billiton no longer has interests in today's mine at Broken Hill.
Silver in Australia is mined by hard rock underground mining methods where it is blasted from the walls of tunnels and brought to the surface for crushing and separating. Twenty five percent of Australia's production is refined and exported to Japan. The remainder is exported to Britain as lead bullion where it is further refined and the silver extracted.
Australian Mines that produce Bauxite
Gove (NT)
Up to 600 workers employed at the Gove bauxite refinery in the Northern Territory face an uncertain future as Pacific Aluminium suspends alumina production.
Ely (QLD)
The Ely Alcan Queensland Pty Ltd agreement at the Weipa bauxite mine is due to expire in 2041 but an option will give it a further 21 years extension.
Skardon River (QLD)
Gulf Alumina acquired 100 percent of the Skardon River tenement in 2011 from its koalin mining joint partner to develop the mining of bauxite at the site
Weipa (QLD)
The Weipa bauxite mine on the western side of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland is both owned and operated by Rio Tinto Alcan.
Huntly (WA)
The Huntly mine in Western Australia is the largest bauxite mine in the world currently producing about 23 million tonnes of bauxite annually.
Willowdale (WA)
The Willowdale bauxite mine that commenced production in 1984 still processes 10 million tonnes of bauxite a year at the nearby Wagerup Refinery.
Worsley (WA)
The Worsley bauxite mine and alumina refinery in South West Western Australia employs more than 1,800 people and produces 4.6 million tonnes of alumina annually.
South Aurukun (QLD)
The South Aurukun bauxite tenements on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland are held by Gulf Alumina.
Marchinbar Island (NSW)
The Marchinbar Island bauxite deposit in far north Northern Territory could be mined to satisfy a growing demand from China in the near future.
Kwinana Refinery (WA)
The Kwinana refinery in WA employs around 1,000 direct employees with 60 percent living in the nearby towns of Rockingham, Cockburn and Kwinana.
Wagerup Refinery (WA)
The Alcoa owned Wagerup alumina refinery in W.A. has received governmental approval to lift alumina production from 2.6 to 2.65 million tonnes annually.
Pinjarra Alumina Refinery (WA)
The Pinjarra alumina refinery, near Mandurah south of Perth, is an important part of Alcoa's three refinery system in Western Australia.
Portland Aluminium Smelter (VIC)
The Portland Aluminium smelter in western Victoria, a joint venture operation between Alcoa, CITIC and Marubeni, caters solely to the Asian market.
Felicitas (WA)
The Felicitas bauxite project in Western Australia contains a bauxite resource of 220 million tonnes that will give it a life of mine of 25 years
South Of Embley (QLD)
Despite Rio Tinto placing its South of Embley bauxite project in Cape York, Queensland, on hold for 18 months it still considers it a 'good project.'
Bauxite Hills (QLD)
The Bauxite Hills Project on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland is hoping to take advantage of an expected increase in the demand for Alumina.
Bald Hill (TAS)
Australian Bauxite Limited's Bald Hill mine, in Tasmania, is to start production in December, 2014. It is the first new bauxite mine in Australia, for over 35 years.
Urquhart Point (QLD)
The Urquhart Point Heavy Mineral Sands Project in Cape York in Far North Queensland is expected to begin production in mid-2015.
Amrun (QLD)
The Amrun bauxite project in far north Queensland, that was previously known as the 'South of Embley' project has been approved for development and expected to be in production by 2019.
