Phillips S. Baker, Jr. - CEO and President
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Hearing on S. 796, Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 |
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| Phillips S. Baker, Jr. Testimony July 14, 2009 |
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World Silver Summary 2009 |
- Silver reflects: The film coating on mirror backings is silver. Mirrors are used in telescopes, microscopes spacecraft and solar panels, as well as bathrooms! Don't forget the silver transparent coating on double-pane thermal windows.
- Silver conducts heat: Those silver ceramic lines fired into your car's rear window keep the window clear of frost and ice.
- Silver conducts electricity: Silver is the metal of choice for switch contacts because it does not corrode. Every time you start your microwave, dishwasher, television set, car engine, etc., silver contacts complete the electrical circuit. The same thing happens when you tap the keys of your computer keyboard, adjust your car's power seats, or release the power trunk lock. Silver is there.
- Silver kills bacteria: Silver chemically affects the cell membranes of bacteria, causing them to break down. Bacteria do not develop resistance to silver, as they do to many antibiotics. Silver solutions are used in burn treatments. Silver gauze packs the wounds of patients during transport to medical facilities. Silver nitrate drops are used to clean the eyes of newborns. Hikers use portable silver-based water purification systems for drinking water.
- Silver is the best conductor of electricity of all
elements. In fact, silver defines conductivity - all other metals are
compared against it. On a scale of 0 to 100, silver ranks 100, with
copper at 97 and gold at 76. Silver is commonly used in electrical circuits and contacts. Silver is also utilized in batteries where dependability is mandatory and weight restrictions apply, such as those for portable surgical tools, hearing aids, pacemakers and space travel.
- Silver rings: Silver has a pure acoustic resonance and is preferred by musicians for making high quality silver bells and musical instruments.
- Silver captures images: Silver salts are the basic image capture and forming materials in photography. Every picture of your sweet little darling contains silver, as well as medical/dental x-rays and your favorite movie.
- Silver is pretty: Don't forget the silver in your jewelry or traditional tableware. It's a favorite medium because it is soft and malleable, and can be shaped into any form. Silver has been used in cherished heirlooms and gifts for centuries.
Pouring Gold
To create gold bars, the material containing the gold is put into a large furnace inside a crucible (a cup-shaped container with a spout). Flux is added and the material is heated until molten. Wearing protective gear from head to toe, the pourer moves a container into place, and uses an electronic joy stick-type unit to tip the entire furnace and begin the pour.
During the heating process the metals form layers, with the heaviest – gold – sitting at the bottom of the crucible. Using a long-handled tool, the pourer helps pull off the “slag” (the material other than silver or gold) from the top. The slag will eventually harden into a black glass-like substance and be re-milled to capture the lead and zinc in it.
Once most of the slag has been pulled, the container is replaced with a rectangular mold inside a wagon-like container. The furnace is tipped further and further until the molten metal pours into the mold. The lighter molten slag runs over the sides while the heavier gold stays in the mold. When all the metal has poured out of the crucible, the furnace is brought back upright and the mold is allowed to cool.
After cooling, the slag glass is chipped from the bar, then a pressurized air tool is used to finish cleaning. These are not solid gold – they’re called “doré bars,” and are approximately 70% gold and 30% silver. The bars are sold to a buyer, who separates the gold and silver using a similar process.
- Gold rocks: Compact discs pressed on 24-karat gold provide the ultimate in sonic quality. Artists available on ULTRADISC II, by Mobile Fidelity Sound, include Elton John, Steve Winwood,
B.B. King and Aretha Franklin. - Gold travels: The Pathfinder "robotic geologist" relies on sophisticated electronics to direct its Mars landing and movement. Its intricate gold circuitry enables new computer technology to transmit the Pathfinder's information back to Earth.
- Gold communicates: Every time you type an e-mail on your computer, gold circuits relay the keyboard data to the microprocessor. Gold is essential in computer circuitry because of its electrical conductivity and because it does not degrade over time.
- Gold protects: Gold-plated reflectors used on Air Force One, the U.S. President's airplane, confuse an incoming missile's heat-seeking signal so the missile's guidance system cannot focus on its target. Gold provides the highest reflectivity of heat radiation.