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July 17, 2022
GALENA MINING LTD. (“Galena” or the “Company”) (ASX: G1A) is pleased to announce that the construction progress at its Abra Base Metals Mine (“Abra” or the “Project”) has reached 73% complete as of 30 June 2022. Significant equipment arrivals over the last month include the remaining mill equipment, secondary and tertiary cone crushers, and the remaining LNG tanks. The completion of the installation of 16,000 solar panels also delivers another significant construction milestone.
Managing Director, Tony James commented, “Construction activities are rapidly progressing with concrete poured at 2,378m3 (95% complete) and structural steel installation already up to 237 tonnes (42% complete). Arrival of key overseas supplied equipment being the remaining mill equipment, secondary and tertiary cone crushers, and LNG tanks has certainly reduced risk and energised the remaining work programs.
Decline mining delays occurred over 12 days in June, when the decline intercepted an un-grouted drill hole, which produced water, requiring an increase in pumping capacity. This was quickly rectified, and the mine plans were updated to keep the mining schedule aligned with the plant construction and commissioning timeframe. Underground grade control drilling continued in June in preparation for ore mining as planned”.
Figure 1 – Abra mine construction site (photo: 28 June 2022)
Update on Abra Project progress
Overall progress continues to remain in line for Project completion followed by first commercial production in Q1 CY2023. The processing plant engineering, procurement and construction has reached 79% complete. Remaining items on the key equipment order list shown in Table 1 which are currently not received are the flotation cells and the regrind mill. The flotation cells are completed and are waiting shipping from China and the regrind mill is currently shipping from Germany and is expected in Melbourne by 12th August. The regrind mill is being shipped to Melbourne so that Glencore Technology can finalise assembly with some Australian components. The arrival of key items since the last update has enabled GR Engineering to consolidate their remaining work schedules and plans.
Mine decline development was delayed in June for 12 days when the west decline intercepted an un-grouted diamond drill hole forcing an upgrade in the mine dewatering capacity. A total of 128m was developed prior to the delay, taking the west decline down to 1,357mRL which is 44m vertically above the orebody. During the delay the mine installed its primary ventilation fan on the surface and upgraded the underground power reticulation. Once this work was completed, the hole was plugged, and mining resumed.
A revised mining plan has been completed and put in place to ensure that following this development delay, mining targets remain in line with the plant completion and commissioning timeframe.
In surface bulk earthworks, good progress was made on the tailing’s storage facility (“TSF”) during June. The final works package associated with the remaining non-processing infrastructure is progressing as planned.
Owners' costs and contingencies remain within budget.
Figure 2 - Progress of the Abra underground mine development to the 1 July (yellow).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from GALENA MINING LTD., licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
G1A:AU
12 December 2022
Abra Construction At 97% Complete – First Ore Stockpiled For January Processing
GALENA MINING LTD. (“Galena” or the “Company”) (ASX: G1A) is pleased to announce that the construction progress at its Abra Base Metals Mine (“Abra” or the “Project”) has reached 97% complete as of 30 November 2022. Processing plant commissioning is progressing quickly with practical completion now expected in December 2022. Ore currently being mined from underground is being stockpiled in readiness for processing to begin in January 2023. Concentrate production will commence January 2023.
Managing Director, Tony James commented, “Record underground development in November with delivery of the first 9,000t of ore to the ROM pad along with successful plant commissioning to date puts Abra on the verge of a quick transition into production. Recruitment and other operational readiness activities are well advanced in preparation for January production”.
Figure 1 – First material being tipped into the crusher during commissioning (Photo 26 November).
Figure 2 – Crushing and screening plant commissioning (Photo 26 November).
The following link will show a short video of the Abra crusher commissioning. https://youtube.com/shorts/iSG58MiW_3o
Update on Abra Project progress
Overall progress continues as planned, with first concentrate production expected in Q1 CY2023, following ore commissioning in January 2023. Practical completion of the processing plant is now expected ahead of schedule in December 2022. The processing plant engineering, procurement and construction has reached 99% complete. Piping and electrical works have made significant progress and at the end of November were 96% and 92% complete, respectively. Mechanical items installation is almost complete at 99%.
In November, the first material was crushed and screened as part of the staged commissioning process. The crushing plant ran at design capacity and all commissioning milestones were successfully achieved. Dry commissioning also progressed in most areas of the plant including water and air services, tailings and concentrate thickening, grinding and reagents. Dry commissioning of the remaining areas will be completed in December. Water commissioning commenced in the tailings and concentrate thickening areas of the plant and the remaining areas are expected to be wet commissioned by the end of December. The remaining commissioning schedule is unchanged from the last update and is shown below in Table 1.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Galena Mining, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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16 November 2022
Abra Construction At 92% Complete – Reaches First Ore Underground
GALENA MINING LTD. (“Galena” or the “Company”) (ASX: G1A) is pleased to announce that the construction progress at its Abra Base Metals Mine (“Abra” or the “Project”) has reached 92% complete as of 31 October 2022. Underground mine has reached the first ore (seeASX announcement 14 November 2022) and plant commissioning continues in several key areas with the project focussed on achieving first concentrate production in Q1 2023.
Managing Director, Tony James commented, “Reaching first ore underground is extremely rewarding for everyone involved in the project. To see for the first time what we have predicted and interpreted as the Abra orebody delivers a significant step forward for the project. Record development metres in October has taken the mine to the ore and we continue to establish key underground infrastructure with the completion of the 6m diameter surface rise that will be the primary return airway.”
Update on Abra Project progress
Overall progress continues to remain in line for Project completion, with first commercial production expected in Q1 CY2023. The processing plant engineering, procurement and construction has reached 97% complete. Structural steel has been completed in October and mechanical installations are at 96% complete. Piping at 80% and electrical at 71% complete continue to progress quickly.
Pacific Energy’s Hybrid 10MW LNG/solar power station completed full integration with the solar power supply, dry commissioning of the crushing and screening areas was completed in early November and first rock crushing is scheduled for late November. Grinding section dry and wet commissioning will commence in the second half of November and is planned for completion by mid-December. The remaining commissioning schedule is unchanged from the last update and is shown below in Table 1.
Mine decline development continued during October. A total of 311m was developed with the decline reaching 1,284mRL. October represents the highest individual development month since the first cut was fired in the portal in October 2021. The decline location is 266m vertically below the surface and is 29m vertically below the original top of the orebody (1313mRL). Underground drilling has now identified mineralisation as high as 1330mRL which is currently being reviewed for potential extraction. The 1300mRL ore access drive reached first ore in early November (See ASX announcement 14 November 2022).
The 1290mRL horizon is a significant work area for development as underground infrastructure for pumping, ventilation, second means of egress and power are all distributed from this level outwards into the development network. All this infrastructure is currently being established and will result in an increased focus on lateral development and lower decline development in the short term.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Galena Mining, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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13 November 2022
Abra Mine Reaches Ore
GALENA MINING LTD. (“Galena” or the “Company”) (ASX: G1A) is pleased to announce that the underground development at its Abra Base Metals Mine (“Abra” or the “Project”) has reached the Abra orebody. Commissioning has commenced in several key areas of the processing facility and the Power Station (Pacific Energy) completed full integration of the hybrid gas/solar/battery energy storage system (BESS) power station on 10 November. The project remains on track for first concentrate production in Q1 2023.
Managing Director, Tony James commented, “Reaching first ore underground delivers another significant step in bringing the Abra project on-line. The first cut in the portal was taken in October 2021, and now 2,949m later and 250m below surface we have reached the orebody. Special acknowledgement needs to be given to Byrnecut and the Abra mining team for achieving this milestone, and everyone involved should be very proud of what they have achieved. It’s also important to acknowledge Pacific Energy and the Abra project team for the faultless commissioning of the power station and completing the full integration of the solar system”.
First ore heading underground has been reached on the 1300mRL access drive. Project to date (PTD) underground development to this point in time was 2,949m and first ore is 250m below the surface. Figure 2 below shows the mine development completed to the end of October 2022. The second underground development Jumbo has commenced at Abra in line with multiple headings being established and underground development is expected to increase accordingly. Underground grade control drilling continues and the 6m diameter return airway shaft drilling has been completed in November through to the surface.
On 20 October, the site changed over to mains power station with the commissioning of the Pacific Energy hybrid 10MW gas/solar/BESS power station. On the 10 November the system was fully integrated with the successful integration of the 6MW solar panels. The mine and general site infrastructure is running on mains power and plant commissioning to date includes the energisation of the crushing/screening sections.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Galena Mining, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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31 October 2022
Galena Mining Activities Report For Quarter Ended 30 September 2022
GALENA MINING LTD. (“Galena” or the “Company”) (ASX: G1A) reports on its activities for the quarter ended 30 September 2022 (the “Quarter”), primarily focused on construction of its 60%- owned Abra Base Metals Mine (“Abra” or the “Project”) located in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
Highlights
- Abra Project 87% complete at end of the Quarter (14% of construction works completed during the Quarter). Project focus remains on underground access to the orebody and completion of the processing plant and remaining surface infrastructure.
- Underground development achieved 771m advance during the Quarter remaining on schedule with the decline reaching 1,300mRL. The decline is 13m below the top of the orebody and 250m below the surface.
- Overall processing plant construction has reached 93% complete. Plant engineering and drafting work is 100% complete and site construction work is 90% complete.
- All key overseas supplied equipment has arrived on site.
- Completed oversubscribed placement to raise A$17.2M.
- US$25M final debt drawdown was completed under the Taurus Debt Facilities.
- Cash balance at Quarter-end A$60.5M.
ABRA BASE METALS MINE (60%-OWNED)
Abra comprises a granted Mining Lease, M52/0776 and surrounding Exploration Licence E52/1455, together with several co-located General Purpose and Miscellaneous Leases. The Project is 100% owned by Abra Mining Pty Limited (“AMPL” the Abra Project joint-venture entity), which in turn is 60% owned by Galena, with the remainder owned by Toho Zinc Co., Ltd. (“Toho”) of Japan.
Abra is fully permitted and under construction. First production of its high-value, high-grade lead- silver concentrate is currently scheduled for the first quarter of 2023 calendar-year.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Galena Mining, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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18 June
Hawthorn Resources Announces Fully Subscribed Private Placement and Planned Name Change to Prince Silver Corp.
Hawthorn Resources Corp. (CSE: HWTN) (OTC Pink: HAWWF) ("Hawthorn" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, in connection with the recently executed agreement for the acquisition of Stampede Metals Corporation (the "Stampede Acquisition") owner of the Nevada located Prince Silver Project and Stampede Gap Project and previously announced consolidation (the "Consolidation"), the Company will change its name to Prince Silver Corp. (the "Name Change").
The Name Change and Consolidation are expected to take effect within the coming weeks. Upon completion, prior to giving effect to the Stampede Acquisition, the Company will have approximately 16,054,125 shares outstanding and will begin trading under its new name with a new CSE ticker symbol to be disclosed upon acceptance by the CSE.
"Rebranding as Prince Silver Corp. marks a transformative step as we align our corporate identity with the Prince Silver Project, a large-scale silver asset located in one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions," stated Ralph Shearing, P.Geo., President of the Company. "With an impressive previously disclosed Exploration Target and silver prices reaching multi-year highs, we believe this is a great opportunity to unlock significant value for our shareholders."
Fully Subscribed Private Placement
Hawthorn is pleased to report that the private placement of subscription receipts as previously disclosed has been fully subscribed to approximately $4 million (rounded), the maximum raise agreed to within the Stampede Acquisition Agreement. Closing of the private placement subscription receipts is expected to occur within the coming days.
Majority Shareholder Consent Obtained
The Company has obtained shareholder consent letters from shareholders representing over 55% of the issued and outstanding shares of Hawthorn approving the Stampede Acquisition transaction.
Corporate Strategy
The Company's corporate focus is centered on advancing the Prince Silver Project in Nevada, guided by the following strategic pillars:
- District-Scale Silver Focus: Advancing a large-scale silver asset in the heart of Nevada, one of the world's most mining-friendly jurisdictions.
- Significant Exploration Target: With mineralization that is near-surface and open in all directions. (see press release dated June 9, 2025, for further information on the Exploration Target)
- Drill-Driven Growth: Active exploration to expand higher-grade zones, confirm historic drilling results and define the scale of the Prince Silver Project mineralized system. A reverse circulation drill program is expected to be initiated on the Prince Silver Project, late July 2025.
- Strategic Partnerships: Actively seeking a joint venture or option partner to explore and develop the Stampede Gap Porphyry Copper-Gold Project, which has been identified as a large-scale Cu-Au system and the BC located greenfield Broken Handle exploration project.
The Company will provide further updates on exploration plans and key milestones in the coming weeks.
About Hawthorn Resources
Hawthorn is a silver exploration company focused on advancing the Prince Silver Project in Nevada, USA. Mineralization is open in all directions and is near surface. Hawthorn also holds option interest in Broken Handle Project, an early-stage mineral exploration project located southern British Columbia, Canada.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Ralph Shearing, Director, President
Tel: 604-764-0965
Email: info@hawthornresources.ca
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: completion of the Acquisition and related transactions, completion of the proposed financing, proposed drill programs, amendments to the Company's website, property option payments and regulatory and corporate approvals. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, dependence on key personnel, completion of satisfactory due diligence in respect of the Acquisition and related transactions, and compliance with property option agreements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, failure to obtain regulatory or corporate approvals, exploration results, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and the CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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18 June
10 Silver ETFs for Every Investing Style in 2025
Investors looking for exposure to the silver price and silver-mining companies should consider silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Spurred by moves in the gold market, safe haven buying as well as increasing demand from industrial sectors, silver saw strong price movements in the first half of 2025, breaching US$37 per ounce for the first time since 2011.
While silver has often been seen as a more approachable precious metal owing to its lower per ounce price, its performance has lagged gains seen in the gold price over the past few years. However, silver stole some of the spotlight in the second quarter of 2025 as it saw significant gains on the back of geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty from the US trade and tariff policy.
Like gold, investors can gain exposure to silver in several ways that each offer their own pros and cons, along with differing costs and risks. For example, investors can purchase physical silver bars or coins, or invest in silver futures.
Another way for investors to diversify their portfolio with silver is to invest ETFs. These products work similarly to mutual funds in that they pool investor resources into an asset. However, as their name suggests, ETFs are traded on exchanges like stocks, making them more accessible to investors.
While ETFs aren’t without risk, they can offer a more stable investment compared to individual stocks thanks to their diversification and the fact that they are often managed and rebalanced.
Silver ETFs come in several forms, such as ones that hold physical silver and ones that hold silver mining, royalty and exploration stocks. Investors looking to start trading silver ETFs should be aware of the options available to them to determine which silver ETF will best suit their precious metals investing needs and risk tolerance.
Here's a brief look at 10 of the top silver ETFs by total assets. The first five ETFs offer exposure to the price of silver, while the last five provide exposure to silver-mining stocks.
Assets and prices for these silver ETFs were collected on June 17, using data from the funds' web pages, and performance data is accurate for the end of Q1 2025.
5 ETFs for exposure to the silver price
1. iShares Silver Trust (ARCA:SLV)
Total assets: US$17.21 billion
Unit price: US$33.06
The iShares Silver Trust provides investors with access to the silver price performance, using the London Bullion Market Association silver price as its benchmark.
As the iShares Silver Trust’s web page warns, it is not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act. Because of this, it is not subject to the regulatory requirements that apply to mutual funds or ETFs.
This trust holds 471 million ounces silver bullion and has a five year average annual total return of 18.99 percent.
2. Sprott Physical Silver Trust (ARCA:PSLV,TSX:PSLV)
Total assets: US$7.12 billion
Unit price: US$12.84
The Sprott Physical Silver Trust is an option for investors looking for the security of physical silver without the need to find secure storage.
The ETF is backed by 191.12 million ounces of silver held in trust in fully allocated London Good Delivery silver bars. Additionally, the ETF is fully convertible into physical silver, should investors decide they want the precious metal on hand. However, the fund states that holders "must have enough units to equate to ten 1000 oz silver bars."
The average annual five-year return based on net asset value for the Sprott Physical Silver Trust is 11.67 percent.
3. Aberdeen Standard Physical Silver Shares ETF (ARCA:SIVR)
Total assets: US$1.92 billion
Unit price: US$34.68
The Aberdeen Standard Physical Silver Shares ETF's investment objective is for its shares to reflect the performance of the silver price less the expenses of the trust's operations. It has an expense ratio of 0.3 percent. This ETF comes with the same warnings as the iShares Silver Trust.
The fund is backed with 45.51 million ounces of silver held with JPMorgan Chase Bank in London in a secured vault. Its five year average annual return comes in at 13.12 percent based on net asset value.
4. ProShares Ultra Silver ETF (ARCA:AGQ)
Total assets: US$717.99 million
Unit price: US$48.69
Set up in December 2008 by ProShares, the ProShares Ultra Silver ETF was designed to offer daily investment results that correspond with twice the daily performance of the Bloomberg Silver Subindex. Because of this, the ETF is aimed at investors who are bullish on silver and able to monitor their investments on a daily basis.
The fund uses derivatives such as futures contracts to invest in silver and has an expense ratio of 0.95 percent.
While designed for short term investment, the ETF's average annual five year return based on net asset value stands at 19.98 percent. Investors looking for a more accurate picture of its day-to-day performance can find a chart on the fund's page.
5. ProShares UltraShort Silver ETF (ARCA:ZSL)
Total assets: US$32.87 million
Unit price: US$25.30
Alongside the creation of the ProShares Ultra Silver ETF in late 2008, ProShares launched its ProShares UltraShort Silver ETF. This fund was designed to provide investors with a hedge against declines in the silver market. It also has an expense ratio of 0.95 percent.
Because the fund is built around providing results at a negative two times daily performance of the Bloomberg Silver Subindex, it is meant for traders who have a high capacity for risk and who are willing to monitor their positions on a daily basis. The fund should be treated in the same way as the Ultra Silver ETF.
This high-volatility fund has an average annual total return of -44.93 percent based on net asset value over the previous five year period. However, as the fund is only meant to be held for very short intervals, this metric is less useful than for other funds. A more accurate picture of its day-to-day performance can be found on the fund's page.
5 ETFs for exposure to silver mining stocks
1. Global X Silver Miners ETF (ARCA:SIL)
Total assets: US$1.97 billion
Unit price: US$48.66
The Global X Silver Miners ETF gives investors access to a basket of silver-mining and royalty stocks. The ETF benefits from the fact that these companies can climb when the silver price is rising. It also allows investors to avoid the risks associated with individual companies and lets them add geographical diversity to their portfolios.
This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.65 percent, and its top holdings include streaming company Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) at a weight of 21.22 percent, Pan American Silver (TSX:PAAS,NYSE:PAAS) at a weight of 12.98 percent and OR Royalties (TSX:OR,NYSE:OR) at 6.1 percent.
The five year average annualized total return for the fund is 11.75 percent.
2. Amplify Junior Silver ETF (ARCA:SILJ)
Total assets: US$1.42 billion
Unit price: US$14.97
The Amplify Prime Junior Silver ETF bills itself as the "first and only ETF to target small cap silver miners." The index provides a benchmark for investors to track public small-cap companies in the silver space.
The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.69 percent and its holdings span Canada, the US and the UK, with key silver companies such as Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE) at 13.22 percent, First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG) at a weight of 10.61 percent and Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) at 8.34 percent.
Over the last five years, the fund's average annualized total return based on net asset value is 3.99 percent.
3. iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (BATS:SLVP)
Total assets: US$314.25 million
Unit price: US$17.96
The iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF tracks an index composed of global equities of companies primarily engaged in silver exploration or metals mining. The ETF has the lowest expense ratio of the three ETFs focused on silver stocks at 0.39 percent.
The large majority of companies in its holdings, about 69 percent, are traded on Canadian exchanges, and companies on US and Mexican exchanges combine for 27 percent.
The top three holdings for the iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF are Pan American Silver at a weight of 22.98 percent, Industrias Peñoles (BMV:PE&OLES) with a weight of 12.6 percent and Hecla Mining at 8.74 percent.
The fund's average annualized return over the last five year period is 16.2 percent.
4. Sprott Silver Miners & Physical Silver ETF (NASDAQ:SLVR)
Total assets: US$99.9 million
Unit price: US$30.83
Unlike the other silver mining ETFs on the list, the Sprott Silver Miners and Physical Silver Fund has a combination of physical silver holdings as well as equities. The fund launched in January 2025, making it one of the newest entries to the list. Its management fee is 0.65 percent.
This ETF's top holding is its counterpart Sprott Physical Silver Trust, which provides investors exposure to physical silver, at a 15.26 percent weight. Its next-largest holdings are MAG Silver (TSX:MAG) at 13.64 percent and Aya Gold & Silver (TSX:AYA) at 7.61 percent.
Since its inception in January 2025, the fund has a total return of 24.98 percent.
5. Sprott Active Gold and Silver Miners ETF (NASDAQ:GBUG)
Established in February 2025, the Sprott Active Gold and Silver Miners ETF is designed to provide investors broad access to both gold and silver equities. Additionally, as an active fund, it will see more frequent rebalancing to increase the potential of better returns for investors. Its management fee is 0.89 percent.
The fund's top holdings consist of Coeur Mining weighted at 5.13 percent, OR Royalties at 5 percent and Torex Gold (TSX:TXG) at 4.82 percent.
Since its inception in February, the fund has seen a total return of 27.13 percent.
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2014.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold an investment in Sprott Active Gold and Silver Miners ETF.
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17 June
Silver Price Surges to US$37, Highest Value Since May 2011
After being overshadowed by gold early in the year, silver has been in the spotlight in recent weeks.
The white metal broke through the US$37 per ounce mark on Tuesday (June 17) for the first time since May 2011.
Recent economic and geopolitical events have raised analysts’ expectations of a September rate cut from the US Federal Reserve, helping to fuel safe-haven buying of silver and gold.
The central bank has held its benchmark rate at 4.25 to 4.5 percent since November 2024.
Silver price, June 10 to June 17, 2025.
Chart via the Investing News Network.
CME Group's (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool shows more than half of market respondents predict a 0.25 percent cut at the Fed's September meeting, while just 8 percent are expecting the Fed to make a deeper 0.5 percent cut.
The central bank is widely expected to leave rates unchanged at its June and July meetings.
Silver's price surge also comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The two countries have come closer to war in recent days, with Israel striking nuclear and military targets deep in Iran.
On Monday (June 16), US President Trump took to Truth Social to urge a complete evacuation of Tehran ahead of planned strikes on targets in the city. He also urged Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
On the economic front, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its May consumer price index figures on June 11. The data shows inflationary growth, with the all-items index ticking up to 2.4 percent from 2.3 percent in June.
Growth was tempered mainly by falling prices at the pumps. Additionally, retail prices have yet to feel the full impact of US tariffs as retailers continue to work through stockpiles acquired earlier in the year.
Elsewhere, gold and equity markets weren’t faring as well on Tuesday.
Gold was flat, trading at US$3,385 per ounce. It has surged more than 25 percent this year, setting a slew of new price records, and has continued to trade in elevated territory, fueled by the same conditions as silver’s recent run. However, silver benefits from a lower entry point for investors looking for more affordable safe-haven investments.
The S&P 500 (INDEXSP: INX) was down on Tuesday, recording a 0.78 percent decline to 5,986. The Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ: NDX) was also down, falling 0.89 percent to 21,744, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: .DJI) slipped 0.68 percent to 42,222.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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17 June
Silver47 and Summa Silver Announce Closing of $6.9 Million Brokered Financing, Including Full Exercise of the Over-Allotment Option
Silver47 Exploration Corp. (TSXV: AGA) (OTCQB: AAGAF) ("Silver47") and Summa Silver Corp. (TSXV: SSVR) (OTCQX: SSVRF) ("Summa") (together, the "Companies") are pleased to announce the closing of the previously announced brokered offering ("Offering") of subscription receipts of Summa (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of $0.25 per Subscription Receipt for aggregate gross proceeds of $6,900,000, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option.
The Offering was led by Research Capital Corporation ("RCC"), as co-lead agent and sole bookrunner, and together with Haywood Securities Inc., as co-lead agent, on behalf of a syndicate of agents, including Eventus Capital Corp. (collectively, the "Agents").
The Offering is being conducted in connection with Silver47 and Summa entering into an arm's length definitive arrangement agreement dated May 12, 2025 (the "Arrangement Agreement") for an at-market merger, pursuant to which Silver47 and Summa have agreed to combine their respective companies (the "Transaction") by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement. The combined company (the "Combined Company") is expected to continue under the name "Silver47 Exploration Corp."
Under the terms of the Transaction, Summa shareholders will receive 0.452 common shares of Silver47 (each whole share, a "Silver47 Share") in exchange for each Summa common share (each a "Summa Share") held (the "Exchange Ratio").
Each Subscription Receipt will entitle the holder, without payment of any additional consideration and without further action on the part of the holder, upon the satisfaction of the Escrow Release Conditions (as defined herein) to receive one unit of Summa (a "Unit"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of Summa (a "Summa Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Summa Warrant"). Following the completion of the Transaction, each Summa Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share of Silver47 Share (a "Warrant Share") at a post-Exchange Ratio adjustment exercise price of $0.7964 per Warrant Share until the date that is 24 months following the satisfaction or waiver of the Escrow Release Conditions (defined herein).
The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund advancement of the Combined Company's silver project portfolio in the United States, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.
The gross proceeds of the Offering, less the Agents' expenses, 50% of the cash commission and 50% of an advisory fee payable by Summa to RCC will be deposited and held by Odyssey Trust Company (the "Escrow Agent") in an interest bearing account (the "Escrowed Funds") pursuant to the terms of a subscription receipt agreement entered into on the date hereof among Summa and RCC, and the Escrow Agent. The Escrowed Funds (less 50% of the remaining cash commission, 50% of the remaining advisory fee and any remaining costs and expenses of the Agents) will be released from escrow to the Combined Company, as applicable, upon satisfaction of the following conditions (collectively, the "Escrow Release Conditions") by September 15, 2025 or such other date as may be mutually agreed to in writing between Summa, Silver47, and RCC (the "Escrow Release Deadline"), including:
(A) the completion, satisfaction or waiver of all conditions precedent to the Transaction in accordance with the Arrangement Agreement, to the satisfaction of RCC;
(B) the receipt of all required shareholder and regulatory approvals, including, without limitation, the conditional approval of the Exchange for the Transaction;
(C) the securities of the Silver47 or the Combined Company issued in exchange for the securities of Summa not being subject to any statutory or other hold period in Canada;
(D) the representations and warranties of Summa and Silver47 contained in the agency agreement to be entered into in connection with the Offering being true and accurate in all material respects, as if made on and as of the escrow release date; and
(E) Summa, Silver47 and RCC having delivered a joint notice and direction to the Escrow Agent, confirming that the conditions set forth in (A) to (D) above have been met or waived.
If (i) the satisfaction of the Escrow Release Conditions does not occur on or prior by September 15, 2025, or such other date as may be mutually agreed to in writing between Summa, Silver47, and RCC or (ii) Summa has advised RCC and/or the public that it does not intend to proceed with the Transaction (in each case, the earliest of such times being the "Termination Time"), then all of the issued and outstanding Subscription Receipts shall be cancelled and the Escrowed Funds shall be used to pay holders of Subscription Receipts an amount equal to the issue price of the Subscription Receipts held by them (plus an amount equal to a pro rata share of any interest or other income earned thereon). If the Escrowed Funds are not sufficient to satisfy the aggregate purchase price paid for the then issued and outstanding Subscription Receipts (plus an amount equal to a pro rata share of the interest earned thereon), it shall be Summa's sole responsibility and liability to contribute such amounts as are necessary to satisfy any such shortfall.
In connection with the Offering, Summa paid to the Agents a cash commission of 369,150 and issued to the Agents 1,476,000 broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants"). In addition, the Agents received an advisory fee of $37,000 plus tax and 148,000 advisory broker warrants on the same terms as the Broker Warrants. Each Broker Warrant entitles the holder to acquire following closing of the Transaction one Silver47 Share at a post-Exchange ratio adjustment exercise price of $0.5531 per Silver47 Share for a period of 24 months following the waiver of the Escrow Release Conditions.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.
The Subscription Receipts and the Summa Shares, Summa Warrants and Warrant Shares underlying the Subscription Receipts, will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period in accordance with Canadian securities legislation, or until such securities are exchanged or adjusted pursuant to the Transaction.
Certain insiders of Summa acquired Subscription Receipts pursuant to the Offering and as such the Offering is considered a related party transaction with the meaning of TSX Venture Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Neither Summa, nor to the knowledge of Summa after reasonable inquiry, a related party, has knowledge of any material information concerning Summa or its securities that has not been generally disclosed. Summa has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation, based on a determination that the fair market value of the participation in the Offering by insiders will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Summa, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. Summa did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Offering because the details of the participation therein by related parties of Summa were not settled until shortly prior to closing of the Offering and the parties wished to close on an expedited basis for business reasons.
Technical Disclosure and Qualified Persons
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release with respect to Silver47 has been reviewed and approved by Alex S. Wallis, P.Geo., is Vice President of Exploration for Silver47, a "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The scientific and technical information contained in this news release with respect to Summa has been reviewed and approved by Galen McNamara, P. Geo., Chief Executive Officer of Summa, a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.
About Silver47
Silver47 Exploration Corp. is a Canadian-based exploration company that wholly-owns three silver and critical metals (polymetallic) exploration projects in Canada and the US. These projects include the Red Mountain Project in southcentral Alaska, a silver-gold-zinc-copper-lead-antimony-gallium VMS-SEDEX project. The Red Mountain Project hosts an inferred mineral resource estimate of 15.6 million tonnes at 7% ZnEq or 335.7 g/t AgEq, totaling 168.6 million ounces of silver equivalent, as reported in the NI 43-101 Technical Report dated January 12, 2024. Silver47 also owns the Adams Plateau Project in southern British Columbia, a silver-zinc-copper-gold-lead SEDEX-VMS project, and the Michelle Project in the Yukon Territory, a silver-lead-zinc-gallium-antimony MVT-SEDEX project. For detailed information regarding the resource estimates, assumptions, and technical reports, please refer to the NI 43-101 Technical Report and other filings available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. The Silver47 Shares are traded on the TSXV under the ticker symbol AGA.
About Summa
Summa Silver Corp. is a junior mineral exploration company. Summa owns a 100% interest in the Hughes Project located in central Nevada and the Mogollon Project located in southwestern New Mexico. The high-grade past-producing Belmont Mine, one of the most prolific silver producers in the United States between 1903 and 1929, is located on the Hughes Project. The Mogollon Project is the largest historic silver producer in New Mexico. Both projects have remained inactive since commercial production ceased and neither have seen modern exploration prior to Summa's involvement.
Silver47 Contact Information
Gary R. Thompson
Director and CEO
gthompson@silver47.ca
403-870-1166
Silver47 Investor Relations Contact:
Kristina Pillon
info@silver47.ca
Twitter: @Silver47co
LinkedIn: Silver47
Summa Silver Contact Information
Galen McNamara
Chief Executive Officer
info@summasilver.com
www.summasilver.com
Summa Silver Investor Relations Contact:
Giordy Belfiore
Corporate Development and Investor Relations
604-288-8004
giordy@summasilver.com
www.summasilver.com
Follow Summa Silver on X: @summasilver
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/summa-silver-corp/
Website: https://www.summasilver.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward looking and other cautionary statements
Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward‐looking statements" and "forward‐looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and applicable United States securities laws (referred to herein as forward‐looking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward‐looking statements which includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: the potential benefits to be derived from the Transaction, the goals, synergies, strategies, opportunities, profile, mineral resources and potential production, project timelines, prospective shareholding and comparables to other transactions; the closing of the Transaction, including receipt of all necessary court, shareholder and regulatory approvals, and the timing thereof; the future financial or operating performance of the Companies and the Companies' mineral properties and project portfolios; Silver47's intended use of the net proceeds from the sale of Subscription Receipts; the ability to satisfy the Escrow Release Conditions; the anticipated benefits and impacts of the Offering; the results from work performed to date; the estimation of mineral resources and reserves; the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates; the development, operational and economic results of technical reports on mineral properties referenced herein; magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; the anticipated advancement of the Companies' mineral properties and project portfolios; exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits; underground exploration potential; costs and timing of future exploration; the completion and timing of future development studies; estimates of metallurgical recovery rates; exploration prospects of mineral properties; requirements for additional capital; the future price of metals; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; the timing and possible outcome of pending regulatory matters; the realization of the expected economics of mineral properties; future growth potential of mineral properties; and future development plans.
Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "could", "would", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "budget", "scheduled", "plans", "planned", "forecasts", "goals" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of factors and assumptions made by management and considered reasonable at the time such information is provided. Assumptions and factors include: the successful completion of the Transaction (including receipt of all regulatory approvals, shareholder and third-party consents), , the integration of the Companies, and realization of benefits therefrom; the Companies' ability to complete its planned exploration programs; the absence of adverse conditions at mineral properties; no unforeseen operational delays; no material delays in obtaining necessary permits; the price of gold remaining at levels that render mineral properties economic; the Companies' ability to continue raising necessary capital to finance operations; and the ability to realize on the mineral resource and reserve estimates. Forward‐looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward‐looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to the Transaction, including, but not limited to, the ability to obtain necessary approvals in respect of the Transaction and to consummate the Transaction; integration risks; general business, economic and competitive uncertainties; the actual results of current and future exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; meeting various expected cost estimates; benefits of certain technology usage; changes in project parameters and/or economic assessments as plans continue to be refined; future prices of metals; possible variations of mineral grade or recovery rates; the risk that actual costs may exceed estimated costs; geological, mining and exploration technical problems; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); title to properties and management's ability to anticipate and manage the foregoing factors and risks. Although the Companies have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are advised to study and consider risk factors disclosed in Silver47's management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended January 31, 2025 and 2024, and Summa's annual information form dated December 20, 2024 for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.
There can be no assurance that forward‐looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Companies undertake no obligation to update forward‐looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are presented for the purposes of assisting investors in understanding the Companies' plans, objectives and goals, including with respect to the Transaction, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward‐looking statements. This news release also contains or references certain market, industry and peer group data, which is based upon information from independent industry publications, market research, analyst reports, surveys, continuous disclosure filings and other publicly available sources. Although the Companies believes these sources to be generally reliable, such information is subject to interpretation and cannot be verified with complete certainty due to limits on the availability and reliability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other inherent limitations and uncertainties. The Companies have not independently verified any of the data from third party sources referred to in this news release and accordingly, the accuracy and completeness of such data is not guaranteed.
THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
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16 June
Pinnacle Issues Shares for Debt
(TSXV: PINN, US: NRGOF, Frankfurt: P9J) – Pinnacle Silver and Gold Corp. (" Pinnacle " or the “ Company ") announces that, in order to conserve capital and improve the balance sheet, it has agreed with certain creditors to accept shares in the company in settlement of their debt. The aggregate number of shares to be issued, subject to TSXV approval, is 2,491,667 at a price of $0.06 per share, for settlement of $149,500.00. All securities issued will be subject to a four-month hold period which will expire on the date that is four months and one day from the date of issue.
The issuance of 2,491,667 common shares to directors and officers of the Company constitutes a "related party transaction" as this term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101: Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions (" MI 61-101 "). The directors and officers of the Company, acting in good faith, determined that the fair market value of the common shares being issued pursuant to the shares for debt transaction and the consideration being paid is reasonable. The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the common shares nor the debt exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization.
About Pinnacle Silver and Gold Corp.
Pinnacle is focused on district-scale exploration for precious metals in the Americas. The addition of the high-grade Potrero gold-silver project in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Belt complements the Company’s project portfolio and provides the potential for near-term production . In the prolific Red Lake District of northwestern Ontario, the Company owns a 100% interest in the past-producing, high-grade Argosy Gold Mine and the adjacent North Birch Project with an eight-kilometre-long target horizon . With a seasoned, highly successful management team and quality projects, Pinnacle Silver and Gold is committed to building long -term , sustainable value for shareholders.
Signed: “Robert A. Archer”
President & CEO
For further information contact :
Email: info@pinnaclesilverandgold.com
Tel.: +1 (877) 271-5886 ext. 110
Website: www.pinnaclesilverandgold.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release .
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12 June
Could the Silver Price Really Hit $100 per Ounce?
Will the First Majestic Silver (TSX:FR,NYSE:AG) CEO’s silver price prediction of over US$100 per ounce come true?
The silver spot price has surged nearly 30 percent in the first half of 2025 to reach a 13 year high, breaking through the US$36 per ounce mark in early June. The white metal has rallied on growing economic uncertainty amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and US President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war.
Well-known figure Keith Neumeyer, CEO of First Majestic, has frequently said he believes the white metal could climb even further, hitting the US$100 mark or even reaching as high as US$130 per ounce.
Neumeyer has voiced this opinion often in recent years. He put up a US$130 price target in a November 2017 interview with Palisade Radio, and he also discussed it in an August 2022 interview with Wall Street Silver. He has reiterated his triple-digit silver price forecast in multiple interviews with Kitco over the years, including one in March 2023.
In 2024, Neumeyer made his US$100 silver call in a conversation with ITM Trading’s Daniela Cambone at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, and in April of that year he acknowledged his reputation as the "triple-digit silver guy" on the Todd Ault Podcast.
At times he’s been even bolder, suggesting in 2016 that silver could reach US$1,000 if gold were to hit US$10,000. More recently, his expected timeline for US$100 silver has been pushed back, but he remains very bullish in the long term.
In order to better understand where Neumeyer’s opinion comes from and whether a triple-digit silver price is really in the cards, it’s important to take a look at the factors that affect the metal’s movements, as well as where prices have been in the past and where other industry insiders think silver could be headed.
First, let’s dive a little deeper into Neumeyer’s US$100 prediction.
In this article
Why is Neumeyer calling for a US$100 silver price?
Neumeyer believes silver could hit US$100 due to a variety of factors, including its consistent deficit, its industrial demand and how undervalued it is compared to gold.
There’s a significant distance for silver to go before it reaches the success Neumeyer has boldly predicted. In order for the metal to jump to the US$100 mark, its price would have to increase from its current value by around 175 percent.
Neumeyer has previously said he expects a triple-digit silver price in part because he believed the market cycle could be compared to the year 2000, when investors were sailing high on the dot-com bubble and the mining sector was down. He thinks it’s only a matter of time before the market corrects, like it did in 2001 and 2002, and commodities see a big rebound in pricing. It was during 2000 that Neumeyer himself invested heavily in mining stocks and came out on top.
“I’ve been calling for triple-digit silver for a few years now, and I’m more enthused now,” Neumeyer said at an event in January 2020, noting that there are multiple factors behind his reasoning. “But I’m cautiously enthused because, you know, I thought it would have happened sooner than it currently is happening.”
In an August 2022 with Wall Street Silver, he reiterated his support for triple-digit silver and said he's not alone in this optimistic view — in fact, he's been surpassed in that optimism. "I actually saw someone the other day call for US$500 silver," he said. "I'm not quite sure I'm at the level. Give me US$50 first and we'll see what happens after that."
Another factor driving Neumeyer's position is his belief that the silver market is in a deficit. In a May 2021 interview, when presented with supply-side data from the Silver Institute indicating the biggest surplus in silver market history, Neumeyer was blunt in his skepticism. “I think these numbers are made up,” he said. “I wouldn’t trust them at all.”
He pointed out that subtracting net investments in silver exchange-traded products leaves the market in a deficit, and also questioned the methodology behind the institute’s recycling data given that most recycled silver metal comes from privately owned smelters and refineries that typically don’t make those figures public.
"I'm guessing the mining sector produced something in the order of 800, maybe 825 million ounces in 2022," Neumeyer said when giving a Q4 2022 overview for his company. "Consumption numbers look like they're somewhere between 1.2 and 1.4 billion ounces. That's due to all the great technologies, all the newfangled gadgets that we're consuming. Electric vehicles, solar panels, windmills, you name it. All these technologies require silver … that's a pretty big (supply) deficit."
In a December 2023 interview with Kitco, Neumeyer stressed that silver is more than just a poor man's gold and he spoke to silver's important role in electric vehicles and solar cells. In line with this view on silver, First Majestic is a member of a consortium of silver producers that in January 2024 sent a letter to the Canadian government urging that silver be recognized as a critical mineral. Silver's inclusion on the list would allow silver producers to accelerate the development of strategic projects with financial and administrative assistance from the government.
In his 2024 PDAC interview, Neumeyer once again highlighted this sizable imbalance in the silver’s supply-demand picture. “We’re six years into this deficit. The deficit in 2024 looks like it’s gonna be bigger than 2023, and why is that? Because miners aren’t producing enough silver for the needs of the human race,” he said.
More controversially, Neumeyer is of the opinion that the white metal will eventually become uncoupled from its sister metal gold, and should be seen as a strategic metal due to its necessity in many everyday appliances, from computers to electronics, as well as the technologies mentioned above. He has also stated that silver production has gone down in recent years, meaning that contrary to popular belief, he believes the metal is actually a rare commodity.
Neumeyer's March 2023 triple-digit silver call is a long-term call, and he explained that while he believes gold will break US$3,000 this year, he thinks silver will only reach US$30 in 2023. However, once the gold/silver ratio is that unbalanced, he believes that silver will begin to take off, and it will just need a catalyst.
"It could be Elon Musk taking a position in the silver space," Neumeyer said. "There's going to be a catalyst at some time, and headlines in the Wall Street Journal might talk about the silver supply deficit … I don't know what the catalyst will be, but investors and institutions will wake up to the fundamentals of the metal, and that's when it will start to move."
In an August 2023 interview with SilverNews, Neumeyer said banks are holding the silver market down. He pointed to the paper market for the metal, which he said the banks have capped at US$30 even in times of high buying.
"If you want to go and buy 100 billion ounces of (paper) silver, you might not even move the price, because some bank just writes you a contract that says (you own that)," he noted, saying banks are willing to get short because once buying stops, they push the price down to get the investors out of the market and buy the silver back. "... If the miners started pulling their metal out of the current system, then all of a sudden the banks wouldn't know if they're going to get the metal or not, so they wouldn't be taking the same risks they're taking today in the paper markets."
The month after the interview, his company First Majestic launched its own minting facility, named First Mint.
In 2024, gold experienced a resurgence in investor attention as the potential for Fed rate cuts came into view. In his interview with Cambone at PDAC 2024, Neumeyer countered that perception, stating, “There’s a rush into gold because of the de-dollarization of the world. It has nothing to do with the interest rates.”
More recently, in an April 2025 Money Metals podcast, Neumeyer reiterated his belief that the silver market is in an extreme supply deficit and that eventually silver prices will have to rise in order to incentivize silver miners to dig up more of the metal. "You need triple digit silver just to motivate the mining companies to start investing again because the mining companies aren't going to make the investment because there's just so much risk in it," he said.
Several market analysts have raised concerns about this silver supply deficit.
In a March 2025 Investing News Network (INN) interview, Dana Samuelson, president of American Gold Exchange, explained that silver is particularly vulnerable to a supply shock as London Bullion Market Association's physical silver supplies have decreased by 30 to 40 percent, while gold has only lost 3 to 4 percent.
Moreover, in April at the Sprott Silver Conference, Maria Smirnova, senior portfolio manager and chief investment officer at Sprott Asset Management, highlighted the deficit as well. Smirnova explained that silver has been in a supply deficit of 150 million ounces to 200 million ounces annually (or 10 percent to 20 percent of total supply), while production has been stagnant or declining over the past decade. She emphasized that above-ground inventories have declined by nearly 500 million ounces in recent years.
What factors affect the silver price?
In order to glean a better understanding of the precious metal’s chances of trading around the US$100 range, it’s important to examine the elements that could push it to that level or pull it further away.
The strength of the US dollar and US Federal Reserve interest rate changes are factors that will continue to affect the precious metal, as are geopolitical issues and supply and demand dynamics.
Although Neumeyer believes that the ties that bind silver to gold need to be broken, the reality is that most of the same factors that shape the price of gold also move silver.
For that reason, it’s helpful to look at gold price drivers when trying to understand silver’s price action. Silver is, of course, the more volatile of the two precious metals, but nevertheless it often trades in relative tandem with gold.
Looking first at the Fed, it's useful to understand that higher rates are generally negative for gold and silver, while lower rates tend to be positive. That's because when rates are higher interest shifts to products that can accrue interest.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Fed cut rates down to zero from 1 to 1.25 percent. However, rising inflation led the Fed and other central banks to hike rates, which negatively impacted gold and silver. In February 2023, the Fed raised rates by just 25 basis points, the smallest hike since March 2022, as Chair Jerome Powell said the process of disinflation has begun. The Fed continued these small rate hikes over the next year with the last in July 2023.
In this leg of the upward cycle of the silver market, Fed interest rate moves have played an oversized role in pumping up silver prices. In early July, as analysts factored in the rising potential for interest rate cuts in the remainder of 2024, silver prices were once again testing May's nearly 12-year high, and they topped US$31 in September in the days leading up to the anticipated first rate cut.
While central bank actions are important for gold, and by extension silver, another key price driver lately has been geopolitical uncertainty. The past few years have been filled with major geopolitical events such as tensions between the US and other countries such as North Korea, China and Iran. The huge economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the banking crisis in early 2023, Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, and rising tensions in the Middle East brought about by the Israel-Hamas war have been sources of concern for investors.
More recently, Trump's penchant for tariffs has rattled stock markets and ratcheted up the level of economic uncertainty pervading the landscape in 2025. This has proved price positive for gold, bringing silver along for the ride.
However, silver's industrial side can not be ignored. In the current environment, the industrial case of silver is weakening in the short term; but longer term still holds some prospects for larger gains.
Higher industrial demand from emerging sectors due to factors like the transition to renewable energy and the emergence of AI technology will be highly supportive for the metal over the next few years. Solar panels are an especially exciting sector as manufacturers have found increasing the silver content increases energy efficiency.
“Even in the US, the policy really is 'all of the above' — all forms of energy. So I’m not concerned about solar cells diminishing. Could they go flat? Yeah, that’s fine. Flat at 300 million ounces? That’s great demand for silver,” said former Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL) CEO Phil Baker during a May webinar hosted by Simon Catt of Arlington Group.
“(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi made a policy decision a year ago to grow the solar industry in India. So in India, only about 10 percent of their demand for silver is used for industrial purposes. In China, it’s 90 percent, and so what you’re going to have in India is you’re going to see their solar panel growth skyrocket,” he added.
Could silver hit US$100 per ounce?
While we can't know if we'll reach a $100 per ounce silver price in the near future, there is support for Neumeyer’s belief that the metal is undervalued and that “ideal conditions are present for silver prices to rise.”
Many are on board with Neumeyer in the idea that silver's prospects are bright, including Gary Savage, President of the Smart Money Tracker Newsletter, who stated during a May 2025 interview with INN that "US$100 is going to be a piece of cake" for silver. He also stated he believes "US$500 is likely sometime ... maybe in three or four years."
So, if the silver price does rise further, can it go that high?
Let’s look at silver’s recent history. The highest price for silver was just under US$50 in the 1970s, and it came close to that level again in 2011. The commodity’s price uptick came on the back of very strong silver investment demand. While it has yet to reach these levels again, the silver price has increased significantly in recent years.
After spending the latter half of the 2010s in the teens, the 2020s have seen silver largely hold above US$20.
In August 2020, the price of silver reached nearly US$28.50 before pulling back again, and moved back up near those heights in February 2021. The price of silver saw a 2022 high point of US$26.46 in February, and passed US$26 again in both May and November 2023. Silver rallied in the later part of the first quarter of 2024, and by April 12 was once again flirting with the US$30 mark as it reached an 11 year high of US$29.26. Despite pulling back to the US$26 level soon after, by October 22 the price of silver had a nice run in the lead up to the election, rising up to US$34.80.
However, a stronger dollar and signs that the Fed might not be so quick to cut interest rates as deeply as expected were seen as price negative for silver. It was in a downward slide for much of the remainder of the year. For much of the first half of 2025, silver has followed gold higher on factors including persistent inflationary pressures brought on by Trump’s aggressive tariff announcements and the ongoing geopolitical risks in the Middle East.
As of June 10, 2025, the price of silver had reached a 13 year high above the US$36 mark, up almost 30 percent since the beginning of the year.
What do other experts think about US$100 silver?
As mentioned, some market experts agree with the triple-digit silver hypothesis.
Substack newsletter writer John Rubino sees the silver supply deficit as not only an issue for the industrial sector, but for the COMEX futures markets as well, which could spark a major rally in the silver price.
"There should be upward price pressure on silver, as the deficit continues and maybe turns into a shortage,” Rubino told INN in a May 2025 interview. “We're using up the previously existing silver, and that means there's just less of it around for the COMEX to satisfy futures contracts who show up and want to turn their contract into silver.”
Rubino explained that there is real danger in an exchange defaulting on delivering physical metal to futures contract traders and needing to pay cash instead. This scenario is likely to trigger panic buying.
He added that he would be shocked if silver didn’t reach US$100 an ounce “somewhere along the way, and it's possible that much higher prices could happen when the panic buying starts.”
When asked by webinar host Catt about where he sees silver at the end of 2025, Sprott (TSX:SII,NYSE:SII) founder Eric Sprott said that he's sure the metal will be trading above US$50. He believes there's no reason to think prices couldn't go even higher given current gold prices and the historical ratio between gold and silver prices.
"Silver used to trade at 15:1 to the price of gold. At today's price of gold that would be over US$200," he said. "I have no reason to think we're not going there. We only mine at 8:1. Why is the price 101:1? It's because it was manipulated, pure and simple. It's going to go back to some very, very low ratio, and the price will so far outperform gold."
Many experts in the space expect silver to perform strongly in the years to come, but don't necessarily see it reaching US$100 or more, especially given the current macroeconomic conditions.
Speaking with INN at PDAC in March 2025, Peter Krauth of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor said he sees serious tightening in the silver market as secondary supplies are depleted and that is beginning to get attention from market participants. At the time, he said this makes the potential for the silver price to revisit US$35 per ounce "very realistic and likely in the first half of (2025)," before moving on to US$40 by the end of the year.
David Morgan of the Morgan Report also sees potential for US$40 silver or higher in 2025. In a March 2025 interview with INN, he explained that once the price of silver can maintain the US$34 price level there will be much less upside resistance as market participants begin to anticipate the potential for further price increases.
However, he cautioned that the market is not acting like one with very little resistance.
Analyst firm InvestingHaven is very bullish on the silver market and is expecting prices to test all-time highs in 2025, moving as high as US$49 per ounce before blasting through new records in the next few years. InvestingHaven even sees the precious metal reaching as high as US$77 in 2027 and US$82 by 2030.
These predictions seem modest compared to Neumeyer's call for silver in the triple digits. However, he is not alone in his thinking. Willem Middelkoop of Commodity Discovery Fund told INN on the sidelines of PDAC that he believes silver could easily reach US$100 sometime over the next decade, advising investors to include physical silver in their portfolio.
"One day the market will run, and if you're not in, you won't win it," Middelkoop said.
FAQs for silver
Can silver hit $1,000 per ounce?
As things are now, it seems unlikely silver will ever reach highs of US$1,000 per ounce, which Keith Neumeyer predicted in 2016 could happen if gold ever climbed to US$10,000 per ounce.
This is related to the gold to silver production ratio discussed above. At the time of the 2016 prediction, this ratio was around 1 ounce of gold to 9 ounces of silver, or 1:9. In 2024, it was about 1:7.5.
If silver was priced according to production ratio today, when gold is at US$3,000 silver would be around US$400, or US$333 at 1:9. However, the gold to silver pricing ratio has actually sat around 1:80 to 1:90 recently, and when gold moved above US$3,000 in March 2025, silver was around US$34.
Additionally, even if pricing did change drastically to reflect production rates, gold would need to climb by more than 300 percent from its current price to hit the US$10,000 gold price Neumeyer mentioned back in 2016.
Why is silver so cheap?
The primary reason that silver is sold at a significant discount to gold is supply and demand, with more silver being mined annually. While silver does have both investment and industrial demand, the global focus on gold as an investment vehicle, including countries stockpiling gold, can overshadow silver.
Additionally, jewelry alone is a massive force for gold demand.
There is an abundance of silver — according to the US Geological Survey, to date 1,740,000 metric tons (MT) of silver have been discovered, while only 244,000 MT of gold have been found, a ratio of about 1 ounce of gold to 7.1 ounces of silver. In terms of output, 25,000 MT of silver were mined in 2024 compared to 3,300 MT for gold. Looking at these numbers, that puts gold and silver production at about a 1:7.5 ratio last year, while the price ratio on June 11, 2025, was around 1:92 — a huge disparity.
Is silver really undervalued?
Many experts believe that silver is undervalued compared to fellow currency metal gold. As discussed, their production and price ratios are currently incredibly disparate.
While investment demand is higher for gold, silver has seen increasing time in the limelight in recent years, including a 2021 silver squeeze that saw new entrants to the market join in.
Another factor that lends more intrinsic value to silver is that it's an industrial metal as well as a precious metal. It has applications in technology and batteries — both growing sectors that will drive demand higher.
Silver's two sides has been on display in recent years: Silver demand hit record highs in 2022, according to the Silver Institute, with physical silver investment rising by 22 percent and industrial by 5 percent over 2021. For 2023, industrial demand was up 11 percent over the previous year, compared to a 28 percent decline in physical silver investment.
Is silver better than gold?
There are merits for both metals, especially as part of a well-balanced portfolio. As many analysts point out, silver has been known to outperform its sister metal gold during times of economic prosperity and expansion.
On the other hand, during economic uncertainty silver values are impacted by declines in fabrication demand.
Silver’s duality as a precious and industrial metal also provides price support. As a report from the CPM Group notes, “it can be seen that silver in fact almost always (but not always) out-performs gold during a gold bull market.”
At what price did Warren Buffet buy silver?
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) bought up 37 percent of global silver supply between 1997 and 2006. Silver ranged from US$4 to US$10 during that period.
In fact, between July 1997 and January 1998 alone, the company bought about 129 million ounces of the metal, much of which was for under US$5. Adjusted for inflation, the company's purchases in that window cost about US$8.50 to US$11.50.
How to invest in silver?
There are a variety of ways to get into the silver market. For example, investors may choose to put their money into silver-focused stocks by buying shares of companies focused on silver mining and exploration. As a by-product metal, investors can also gain exposure to silver through some gold companies.
There are also silver exchange-traded funds that give broad exposure to silver companies and the metal itself, while more experienced traders may be interested in silver futures. And of course, for those who prefer a more tangible investment, purchasing physical bullion in silver bar and silver coin form is also an option.
Private investor Don Hansen shared his strategies with INN for investing in precious metals, as well as a guide for building a low-risk gold and silver portfolio.
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2016.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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