The Dark Side Of The Silver Mining Industry
According to my figures for 2013, the top primary silver miners suffered the lowest average silver yield ever. That’s correct… another year of declining ore grades and yields.
Looking at the chart below, the top 6 primary silver miners average yield for 2013 was 7.6 ounce a tonne (oz/t) compared to the 8.1 oz/t recorded in 2012. Thus, the top miners shed another half ounce of silver yield… falling 6% in 2013.
The top primary silver miners average yield declined 41% from 13 oz/t in 2005, to 7.6 oz/t in 2013. The top 6 mines and companies included in the chart above are BHP Billiton’s Cannington mine, Fresnillo, Pan American Silver, Polymetal’s Dukat & Lunnoye mines, Hochschild and Hecla.