The internal oxidation of dilute solid solutions of Sb and In in single crystals of silver was studied with nuclear reaction analysis, depth profiling and channeling using the18O(p,&agr;)15Nreaction. Combining the results obtained for theOconcentration depth profiles and theOlattices sites with results of hyperfine interaction measurements, a detailed picture of the internal oxidation process was obtained. It was shown that isolated molecules of SbO2and InO2embedded in the Ag matrix are created, which diffuse as an entity at elevated temperatures to form an oxide layer at the surface or to form precipitates in the Ag matrix. At still higher temperatures these oxides decompose and the Sb or In redissolves in the silver. The information obtained for this model system may be important, among other things, to understand the formation of buried nitride layers in metals or silicide layers in silicon by high‐energy implantation.