Often silver is outshone by gold, with most market participants paying attention to the yellow metal. At the same time, silver has many characteristics that makes the precious metal an attractive commodity and irreplaceable component in many applications – particularly for industry-related companies and their investors.
Silver boasts a multitude of properties that make it unique, including its strength, malleability and ductility, its electrical and thermal conductivity, its sensitivity to and high light reflectance, and its ability to endure extreme temperature ranges. Silver’s remarkable properties restrict its substitution in most applications.
Silver is used in the jewellery, electronics and electrical industries, energy, automotive as well as in medicine and optics. Silver is also an important investment instrument.
Silver prices rose 10% in the previous month thanks to improved industrial demand, uncertain global and economic political climates that spurred investment demand, and increasing gold prices.
Only around 30% of annual supply comes from primary silver mines while more than a third is produced at lead/zinc operations and a further 20% from copper mines. Only six of the top 20 producers are primary silver miners. The polymetallic ore deposits from which silver are recovered account for more than two-thirds of the world’s silver resources.
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