In Tolkien’s mythology, mithril was especially associated with silver because its appearance resembled a brighter, lighter form of that metal. The name itself is built from Tolkien’s invented Elvish languages and is commonly explained as meaning “grey glitter.”
Mithril was a rare and exceptionally valuable metal found in Middle-earth. The Dwarves mined it in Khazad-dûm, the underground realm later called Moria. Its strength and lightness made it suitable for remarkable objects, including the coat of mail given to Bilbo and later worn by Frodo.
Mithril is sometimes described as ordinary silver, but the texts distinguish it from silver in both value and properties. Its scarcity increased after the Balrog drove the Dwarves from Moria and mining ceased there. Tolkien’s description made mithril a model for later fantasy metals, although many modern works use the name for substances with different characteristics.