High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Silver mining in Arizona was a powerful stimulus for exploration and prospecting in early Arizona. Cumulative silver production through 1981 totaled 490 million troy ounces (15 million kg). However, only about 10% of Arizona`s silver production came from silver mining. More than 80% of the state`s silver was a byproduct of copper mining; other silver came as a byproduct of lead, zinc, and gold mining.