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Silver
Silver is a shiny white metal, ductile and malleable. It has
the highest electrical
conductivity of all metals. Its thermal conductivity is also
higher than those of any
other metal. This metal is stable in pure air and water, but
does tarnish when it
is exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air with sulfur in
it.
Silver is a rare metal. It occasionally occurs in the native
state, in which it is often
associated with other noble metals. The principal use of silver
is as a precious metal
and its halide salts, especially silver nitrate, are also widely
used in photography
(which is the largest single end use of silver).
Link:
The
Silver Institute
World Mine Production
tonnes
| |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
| Europe |
|
|
|
|
| Bulgaria |
23,8 |
23,8 |
23,8 |
23,8 |
| Finland |
23,6 |
22,8 |
29,9 |
34,0 |
| France |
1,0 |
1,0 |
1,0 |
1,0 |
| Greece |
30,6 |
61,5 |
74,8 |
79,2 |
| Ireland |
25,1 |
19,3 |
4,5 |
20,4 |
| Italy |
4,4 |
4,4 |
4,4 |
4,4 |
| Poland |
1.088,2 |
1.088,4 |
1.220,8 |
1.237,2 |
| Portugal |
21,4 |
23,1 |
19,1 |
21,8 |
| Romania |
18,0 |
18,0 |
18,0 |
18,0 |
| Russia |
240,4 |
240,4 |
240,4 |
240,4 |
| Spain |
66,0 |
66,0 |
66,0 |
66,0 |
| Sweden |
304,4 |
285,1 |
293,9 |
300,1 |
| Yugoslavia |
9,1 |
5,7 |
6,8 |
1,0 |
| Other Europe |
10,0 |
10,0 |
10,0 |
10,0 |
| total |
1.866,1 |
1.869,6 |
2.013,5 |
2.057,3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Africa
total |
462,7 |
382,9 |
399,5 |
395,2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Asia
total |
3.152,7 |
3.737,0 |
3.758,9 |
3.855,3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Oceania
total |
2.156,1 |
2.072,7 |
2.181,3 |
1.965,3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| World
total |
17.746,5 |
18.524,4 |
18.663,5 |
18.149,5 |
Source: World Bureau of Metal Statistics - World Metal Statistics,
February 2004, p. 119
World Silver Demand
Million of Ounces
| Fabrication |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
| Industrial Applications |
375,4 |
337,4 |
341,4 |
351,2 |
| Photography |
221,9 |
213,5 |
205,7 |
196,1 |
| Jewelry and Silverware |
279,9 |
288,8 |
265,9 |
276,7 |
| Coins and Metals |
32,8 |
31,1 |
32,8 |
35,3 |
| total
Fabrication |
910 |
870,7 |
845,8 |
859,2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Others |
|
|
|
|
| Producer Hedging |
27,4 |
– |
24,8 |
31 |
| Implied Net Investment |
– |
15,4 |
– |
– |
| total
Demand |
937,4 |
886,1 |
870,7 |
880,2 |
Source: The Silver Institute (www.silverinstitute.org)
- World Silver Survey 2004
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