Silver investors are usually interested in finding out which countries produce the most ounces of silver. After all, if a nation is producing an abundance of the white metal, many mining companies are likely operating there, and investment opportunities may be available.
However, it’s also worth looking at silver reserves, also known as a country’s economically mineable silver supply. In general, the
world’s largest global silver producers
also have high silver reserves, but some countries with high silver reserves are not mining much of the metal.
Where there’s room to grow silver mine supply, there may be money to be made as well. For that reason,
precious metals
investors should be aware of which countries may eventually become powerhouses that are able to supply global silver demand.
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With that in mind, here’s an overview of top silver countries by reserves. All information collected is based on the US Geological Survey’s most recent
data on silver
.
1.
Peru
Silver reserves: 91,000 MT
At 91,000 metric tons (MT), Peru is at the top of the list for highest silver reserves by country in the world. And unlike some countries with high silver reserves, the nation was a major producer of silver in 2020. The nation put out 3,400 MT of the metal, coming in second place in the world in silver production.
The majority of Peru’s
physical silver
is produced at the Antamina mine, located in the province of Huari. The mine is a joint venture between BHP (ASX:
BHP
,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), Glencore (LSE:
GLEN
,OTC Pink:GLCNF), Teck Resources (TSX:
TECK.B
,NYSE:TECK) and Mitsubishi (OTC Pink:
MSBHF
,TSE:8058). Although it is primarily a
copper
mine, it still produces more silver than any other in the country.
The mining industry accounts for more than
50 percent of Peru’s total exports
, and silver is considered a “
flagship product
,” with a rich history dating back to pre-Columbian times. Peru also leads the way in the copper space, as it is the second largest copper producer in the world. Additionally, Peru consistently ranks as one of the world’s largest producers of economically important metals such as
zinc
,
tin
and
gold
.
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2.
Australia
Silver reserves: 88,000 MT
Mining operations in Australia produce much less of the silver mineral than Peru and Poland, but the country’s reserves of the metal are nevertheless high. The nation put out only 1,300 MT of silver in 2020, and its holdings stand at 88,000 MT.
Silver mining goes all the way back to the early 1900s in Australia. BHP began as a silver producer there in the 1920s, and today South32 (ASX:
S32
,OTC Pink:SHTLF), an offshoot of BHP, operates the Cannington mine in the same region. The mine produces the most silver ounces for the country.
3. Poland
Silver reserves: 70,000 MT
Another one of the world’s leading silver countries is Poland. Despite its reserves of 70,000 MT, Poland produced just 1,300 MT of silver in 2020. Much of that came from KGHM Polska Miedsz (WSE:
KGH
), which is consistently one of the world’s top silver miners.
KGHM
is one of the largest producers of metallic silver. The company sells silver in the form of bars and grains (produced at the Głogów Copper Smelter and Refinery) and silver sales account for about 12 percent of revenue. Yearly, KGHM produces around 1,200 tonnes of silver.
More top silver countries by reserves
Peru, Australia and Poland lead the world with the highest silver reserves, but there are many other top silver countries by reserves in 2020. Here’s a quick look at where other nations stand:
- Russia — 45,000 MT
- China — 41,000 MT
- Mexico — 37,000 MT
- Chile — 26,000 MT
- US — 26,000 MT
- Bolivia — 22,000 MT
Various other countries hold a total of 57,000 MT of silver reserves, according to the US Geological Survey. The total world reserves figure sits at 500,000 MT.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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