Silver is often accorded the position of a second-class metal, and thanks to its use in sports medals it’s seen as a symbol of coming in second. Students and employees are advised to ‘go for gold’. You don’t ever hear the metal mentioned in the context of winning.
As a natural resource, it is a byproduct of gold or copper mining and has very few natural mines around the world.
However silver is also known to have more patents than any other metal and is in great demand for its industrial and commercial applications.
Industrial Uses and Applications For Silver
- Known for its reflectivity and hardness, silver is used extensively in the automobile, jewelry, tableware, reflector, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and photography industries. It mirrors gold in several properties but is much harder, more reflective and possesses the best thermal and electrical conductivity among all known elements.
- The combination of affordability and superlative electrical conductivity make this metal the conductor of choice for switches, contacts and fuses in precision electronics for domestic and specialized industries.
- It is an ideal substitute for gold in almost all industrial applications and is an essential component of thick-film pastes used in the manufacture of integrated circuits and surface mount devices.
- The metal is also used in RFID chips and solar panels.
- The automobile industry uses this metal in silver-ceramic lines for heating rear windows and in most electrical contacts where the use of gold inflates the cost of production.
- Silver halide crystals are essential to the use and development of photographic film while the metal in elemental form is used in the manufacture of high quality mirrors.
- The manufacture of jewelry and cutlery uses the metal in its elemental form as well as its alloys and continues to be an area of great demand for this precious metal.
- Silver also finds extensive use in the areas of water purification for its antimicrobial properties.
- The metal and its compounds can be found in adhesive bandages and medical instruments.
- High electrical and thermal conductivities, reflectivity and biocide properties make this metal one of the most valuable metals on the planet and consequently, the most traded. Its prices are among the most volatile in the global commodity market and yet, the metal remains in great demand.
Today, the global reserves for this precious metal total over 540,000 tonnes with an annual supply of nearly 1,050 million troy ounces.
Factors that Influence the Price of Silver
Supply
- The annual production of silver is driven by a complex industry that supplies the world’s fluctuating demand for the metal.
- Mining is responsible for over 65% of the world’s supply of this precious white metal. It is mined primarily as a byproduct of copper, lead, gold and zinc mining and is rarely found in the form of nuggets.
- It is also found in ores such as the sulfide ore Argentite, the lead-based ore, Galena and the chloride ore Chlorargyrite.
- The sources that make this metal available to the world market are popularly known as ‘second-hand’ sources.
- Scrap that has been reclaimed from manufactured goods contributes an additional 20% to the world’s supply.
- The return of bullion and coins from investors and governments and other miscellaneous sources make up the remaining 15% of the global supply.
- The significant dependence on mining and the sizable influence of investors are just two of the factors that influence the metal’s price indices.
- Mexico, China, Peru, Australia, Russia and Poland are the largest producers of silver today, accounting for about 70% of the world’s supply.
Demand
- Industrial demand and fluctuating metal indices also have a far greater impact on the market.
- The worldwide demand for silver is primarily fueled by the industrial sector.
- Jewelry, coinage and photography form next three sources of demand.
- Over recent years, the increased use of digital imaging devices has resulted in a sharp drop in the demand for silver in photography however.
- While it is an important part of the pharmaceutical and medical industries, the rising demand in these niche industries is not enough to stem the dwindling global demand. Consequently, larger supplies of coins and bullion have been made available to government and private investors.
- While silver has not been a standard medium of exchange since the 19th century, it continues to gain importance as a tradable commodity.
Silver Price and Trading
Silver is often likened to real estate in terms of its global availability.
Compared to gold, it is a scarce resource. For every 27 ounces of gold from all known mining locations, there is only 1 ounce of this precious metal. This does not mean that silver cannot be found; it is merely indicative of the large untapped mining resources for this precious white metal. It is generally traded in troy ounces as coins or bullion bars around the world.
- The London Bullion Market (LBMA) handles Over-The-Counter trades for silver. This involves the physical exchange of bullion and cash.
- Commodity Exchange, Inc. (COMEX) in New York handles the trading of futures and options. It is here that the speculation about the metal is at its peak.
The high number of futures contracts on silver exerts a great deal of pressure on its price. The current (early 2024) price of silver is around $24 per ounce.
The Gold Silver Ratio
- The global price of silver tracks, or follows the price of gold fairly steadily. This tracking is often expressed as a ratio of the price of the metal to the corresponding price of gold.
- The current (early 2024) Gold Silver Ratio is around 88:1.
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About the Author: Doug YoungDoug is a highly experienced professional and widely trusted authority in financial investing, commodity trading, and precious metals. With over 20 years of expertise, he helps others make informed decisions by sharing a combination of personal experience, extensive knowledge and meticulously researched information on gold IRAs, precious metals investing and retirement planning. He regularly writes news items on these topics. He has considerable experience of evaluating Gold IRA and Precious Metals Companies, gained over a period spanning more than a decade.
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Doug is a highly experienced professional and widely trusted authority in financial investing, commodity trading, and precious metals. With over 20 years of expertise, he helps others make informed decisions by sharing a combination of personal experience, extensive knowledge and meticulously researched information on gold IRAs, precious metals investing and retirement planning. He regularly writes news items on these topics. He has considerable experience of evaluating Gold IRA and Precious Metals Companies, gained over a period spanning more than a decade.
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