Silver
About Silver
Silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any element, making it critical for electrical contacts, solar photovoltaic cell production, and electronics. Industrial applications now consume the majority of silver demand, with solar panel manufacturing being the fastest growing sector. Silver is also a traditional store of value and investment asset alongside gold.
Primary Uses
Top Producing Countries
Quick Facts
- Symbol
- Ag
- Atomic Number
- 47
- Category
- Precious Metal
- Criticality Level
- Medium
- Supply Risk
- Low
- Top Producer
- Mexico
- USGS Critical List
- Not Listed
- EU CRM List
- Not Listed
Explore Silver In Depth
Dive into detailed analysis across 11 key topics covering every aspect of the Silver value chain.
Uses & Applications
Discover the primary industrial, technological, and commercial applications of Silver across key sectors.
Supply Chain
Trace the Silver supply chain from mine to market, including key intermediaries, processing hubs, and trade flows.
Mining & Processing
Learn how Silver is extracted, concentrated, and processed into usable forms for downstream industries.
Refining & Grade Specs
Explore the refining methods, purity grades, and technical specifications that define Silver products.
Recycling
Assess the recycling potential, current recovery rates, and circular economy opportunities for Silver.
Substitutes
Evaluate possible substitutes and alternative materials that could reduce dependence on Silver.
Investing
Understand the investment landscape for Silver, including equities, ETFs, futures, and direct exposure strategies.
Price
Analyze Silver pricing mechanisms, historical trends, benchmarks, and the factors that drive market volatility.
Companies
Identify the major miners, processors, and technology companies involved in the Silver value chain.
Projects
Review the significant mining and processing projects shaping the future supply of Silver worldwide.
Risks
Examine the supply risks, geopolitical vulnerabilities, and strategic concerns associated with Silver.
Return to the full Mineral Library to explore other critical and strategic minerals.