Silver is on The Brink of Extinction
Position yourself with physical silver and silver mining stocks.
Mexico is #1 producer of silver and this has been true for past 500 years
Silver deficits are even higher than reported by credible sources like the World Silver Survey
Silver’s use by militaries and energy departments are massive and exceed all other industrial uses (solar, electric vehicles, electronics, batteries)
Unless we invest in silver mining companies we will be out of this strategic metal by 2030
So the good news is that our neighbor (the one we treat like shit) is the #1 producer of silver in the World. The bad news is that because there has been an underinvestment in silver mining there are drastic declines in new silver mining activity locally and globally
The three largest producers of silver in the past 500 years are Mexico, Peru and China and US (insane) foreign policy makes investment relations with these nations muddy and costly.
Why?
Take any University course on US Foreign policy and then add mining regulations as a layer and you will be quickly apprised.
It’s just like the Henry Kissinger quote, “It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal.”
Mexico has been the world's largest producer of silver for centuries. In the early 16th century, the Spanish conquistadors discovered vast silver deposits in Mexico, and the country quickly became the world's leading metal producer. Mexico's silver production continued to grow throughout the colonial period, and it remained the world's largest producer of silver until the early 19th century.
Peru is another country with a long history of silver production. The Incas mined silver for centuries before the arrival of the Spanish, and the metal was an important part of their economy. After the Spanish conquest, Peru became the world's second-largest producer of silver and remained in that position for much of the colonial period.
China is a relatively new entrant to the silver production market. In the early 19th century, China needed more silver. However, silver production in China began to increase rapidly in the late 19th century, and the country became the world's third-largest producer of silver by the early 20th century.
Some Facts:
The Silver Institute reported a global silver deficit of 237.7 million ounces in 2022, the second consecutive annual deficit. This was the most significant deficit on record since the Silver Institute began tracking silver supply and demand in 1991.
The Institute also reported a global silver deficit of 51.1 million ounces in 2021.
Their reporting is good but challenging to compile because the world's militaries (as well as Departments of Energy) do not disclose their massive use of silver.
The silver coating helps bombs and missiles because…
It reduces radar signatures, making them more challenging to detect and track.
It protects the missile from corrosion, extending its lifespan.
It reflects heat, making the missile less vulnerable to infrared-homing missiles
Silver in nuclear submarines could be the largest industrial user of silver that has never been reported. Here, we are not talking ounces (deficits), but the weight units are thousands of tons. ( plus rockets, submarines, satellites, telescopes, nukes, reactors, and even bombs buried into mountains or hanging out in Air Force base military hangars)
Silver is the best choice for nuclear subs because of its lifespan and resistance to the harsh environments (submerged)
The same is valid with aerospace. The most severe weather is in space (extreme), so defense contractors use silver because it is the most affordable conductor (gold is over 75 times more expensive). Most of these missiles, rockets, and satellites are gone for good, and the silver is literally "lost in space."
Nuclear Energy uses thousands of tons of silver previously undisclosed.
The silver (80%)-indium(15%)-cadmium(5%) absorber bars, are a component of the control rods in the most commonly used designs for nuclear reactors (PWR). They're consumable, end up irradiated and must be replaced on average every 8.5 years.
Estimates of usage are monumental.
We should also also touch based on Silver-Zinc batteries which have been used on every Apollo mission per their own manufacturer and account for space junk as far away as Mars.
Check out this one product that used 5 tonnes of Silver
How long has silver been used as money?
Silver has been used as a form of money for thousands of years, dating back to ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. In fact, the word "silver" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "seolfor," which means "money."
The first known silver coins were minted around 600 BC in Lydia, an ancient kingdom in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). These coins were made of a natural alloy of Gold and Silver called electrum.
Later, in the 5th century BC, the Greeks began producing silver coins, which became widely used in trade throughout the Mediterranean region.
In the centuries that followed, many other civilizations around the world used silver as a form of currency.
For example, the Chinese used silver coins during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), and the Spanish introduced the silver peso in the 16th century, which became a widely used currency throughout the Americas.
Today, silver is still used as a form of money in some countries, such as Mexico, where the silver peso is still legal tender. However, its use as a currency has declined in many parts of the world in favor of paper money and digital currencies.
Have there been times when silver has not been used as money?
Yes, there have been times throughout history when silver was not used as money. For example, during the early part of the Middle Ages in Europe, gold was the preferred currency because it was more portable and easier to store than silver. In addition, during specific periods of economic turmoil or instability, other commodities such as salt, cattle, or shells have been used as a currency.
Furthermore, during the 20th century, many countries moved away from using silver as a currency due to the adoption of paper money and the creation of modern banking systems. As a result, today, most of the world's currencies are not backed by precious metals like silver or gold, but rather by the credit and faith in the government that issues them.
Despite this, silver has retained its value as a precious metal and is still widely used as an investment asset and in various industrial applications, including electronics, solar panels, and medical equipment.
When will we run out of silver?
It's difficult to predict exactly when we will run out of silver, as it depends on several factors such as the rate of global production, demand, and the development of new technologies for exploration and mining.
However, it's worth noting that silver is a finite resource and its supply is not infinite.
According to some estimates, the total amount of silver mined throughout history is around 1.6 million metric tons.
While this may seem like a lot, it's essential to consider that much of this silver has been consumed in various industrial applications and is no longer recoverable.
In terms of current production levels, global silver mine production in 2020 was approximately 25,000 metric tons.
However, demand for silver is also growing, particularly in the electronics and solar industries.
Sadly, that new world is rapidly encroaching on an already extremely constrained economic environment. At current rates, it's estimated that by 2028, the earth will have completely run out of economically mineable silver reserves.
Now that may seem seriously overwhelming, and in all honesty, it should, because at present, there are virtually no other known silver reserves and at current prices, the vast majority of remaining silver reserves both above and below ground are economically unfeasible.
I say above and below ground because silver is one of only a few precious metals yet to be recycled from electronic waste. But, again, this is due primarily to the highly uneconomical extraction costs associated with recycling silver from most industrial/household goods.
Think mobile phones, PC's, tablets, television screens, microwaves, and basically any other whitegoods with an on/off switch. You should start to get a perspective of just how much perfectly usable silver is sitting in dumps across the globe. But, of course, household tech goods only represent a small portion of silver's extensive industrial applications, and with the rise in both EV (Electric Vehicle) demand alongside Photovoltaic energy (solar panels) it's almost guaranteed that any remaining silver reserves are teetering precariously on the brink of extinction.
When you consider that silver has been money for over 2,500 years and valued for over 10,000 years, it is significant to know that there are only about 5 years of silver left. It reminds me of the quote “Gradually, then suddenly.”