# Silver

Silver is part precious metal, part industrial input: the best electrical conductor, used in electronics, solar cells and investment bars.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/

Precious metals · No. 22

- US critical 2025
- HHI 1,205 · unconcentrated
 Precious metals · Foundation · Matter

Silver is the best conductor of electricity there is, yet most of it is dug up by accident, inside other ores.

Chart: Illustration: Silver

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Most silver rides along inside lead-zinc, copper and gold ores, and is recovered only when those metals are smelted and refined.

##### Three things to know

1. About 71% of primary silver is a by-product of mines dug mainly for lead, zinc, copper or gold.
2. Solar panels took an estimated 15% of US silver use in 2025.
3. COMEX warehouse silver rose from 9,910 tons at end-2024 to about 15,000 tons a year later.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Host ore**Lead-zinc, copper or gold ore
2. 2 **Concentrate**Floated with the base metal
3. 3 **Smelting**Recovered from lead bullion or slimes
4. 4 **Refining**Cast into fine bars and grain
5. 5 **End uses**Electronics, solar paste, bars and coins
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##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/links/index.md)