THE RISING SILVER DEMAND
Demand for silver is used for industrial applications, decoration, photography, jewelry & silverware. Together, these three categories represent more than 95 percent of annual silver consumption. In 2000, 378 million ounces of silver were used for industrial applications, while over 230 million ounces of silver were committed to the photographic sector, and 281 million ounces were consumed in the jewelry and silverware markets.
Silver is in demand because it has a number of unique properties including its strength, malleability and ductility, its electrical and thermal conductivity, its sensitivity to and high reflectance of light and the ability to endure extreme temperature ranges. Silver’s unique properties restrict its substitution in most applications. Choose from the following list to learn more about some of the various applications of silver:
Electrical and Electronics
Silver is the best electrical conductor of all metals and is hence used in many electrical applications, particularly in conductors, switches, contacts and fuses. Contacts, a junction between two conductors that can be separated and through which a current can flow, account for the largest proportion of electrical demand. Silver is invaluable in the manufacture of circuit breakers and motor controls.
In electronics, silver is also widely used. Uses include silk-screened circuit paths, membrane switches, electrically heated automobile windows, and conductive adhesives. Every time a home owner turns on a microwave oven, dishwasher, clothes washer, or television set, the action activates a switch with silver contacts that completes the required electrical circuit.
Medical Applications
While silver's importance as a bactericide has been documented only since the late 1800s, its use in purification has been known throughout the ages. Early records indicate that the Phoenicians, for example, used silver vessels to keep water, wine and vinegar pure during their long voyages. In America, pioneers moving west put silver and copper coins in their water barrels to keep it clean.
In fact, "born with a silver spoon in his mouth" is not a reference to wealth, but to health. In the early 18th century, babies who were fed with silver spoons were healthier than those fed with spoons made from other metals, and silver pacifiers found wide use in America because of their beneficial health effects.
Silver also has a variety of uses in pharmaceuticals. In fact, silver sulfadiazine is the most powerful compound for burn treatment. It is used by every hospital in North America for burn victims to kill bacteria and allow the body to naturally restore the burn area. It is used world-wide. In another application polyurethane central venus catheters are impregnated with silver sulfadiazine and chlorhexidine to eliminate catheter-related bacteria.
In a world concerned with the spreading of virus and disease, silver is increasingly being tapped for its bactericidal properties and used in treatments for conditions ranging from severe burns to Legionnaires Disease.
Water Purification
Silver is employed as a bactericide and algaecide in an ever-increasing number of water purification systems in hospitals, remote communities and, more recently, domestic households. Silver ions have been used to purify drinking water and swimming pool water for generations. New research into silver compounds is providing physicians with powerful, clinically effective treatments against which bacteria cannot develop resistance.
Photography
When Joseph Nicephore Niepce created the first photographic image obtained through a camera-like device in 1813, it was silver nitrate that made it possible.
Although digital photography is increasing, silver-based photography will retain its pre-eminence due to its superior definition and low cost. An estimated 230 million troy ounces of silver were used worldwide in 2000 for photographic purpose.
William Conrad Roentgen's discovery of x-rays in 1895, led to his discovery that they activate silver halide crystals. This revolutionized medical diagnosis. Radiographic use of silver worldwide consumed 78 million troy ounces in 2000. Medical uses aside, X-ray inspection is essential to ensure the integrity of metallic castings from small truck axles to the huge aircraft-carrier steam valves used to propel airplanes from a flight deck. Of all the inspection techniques, it is the image on a silver halide x-ray film that provides the clearest indication of flaws deep within metallic components.
Batteries
The silver battery provides the higher voltages and long life required for quartz watches. In fact, over 1.4 billion silver oxide-zinc batteries are supplied to world markets yearly, including miniature sized batteries for watches, cameras, and small electronic devices and larger batteries for tools and commercial portable TV cameras.
Coins
23,851,873 ounces of silver were issued in the form of silver coins in 1995.
Bearings
Steel bearings electroplated with high purity silver have greater fatigue strength and load carrying capacity than any other type and are hence used in various hi-tech and heavy-duty applications.
Jewelry and Silverware
Silver possesses working qualities similar to gold but enjoys greater reflectivity and can achieve the most brilliant polish of any metal. To make it durable for jewelry, however, pure silver (999 fineness) is often alloyed with small quantities of copper. In many countries, Sterling Silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) is the standard for silverware and has been since the 14th century.
The copper toughens the silver and makes it possible to use sterling silver for cutlery, bowls and other decorative items such as picture frames.
Brazing and Soldering
In 2000, 38 million ounces of silver were used for brazing and soldering in industrial and electronics applications.
Catalysts
A worldwide inventory of some 23 million ounces of silver are in daily use for catalytic oxidation in chemical reactors, principally in the plastic industry.
Electroplating
The ease of electrodeposition of silver accounts for silver’s widespread use in coating. The plating thickness of some items, such as fuse caps, is less than one micron. Coatings of two to seven microns are normal for heavy-duty electrical equipment.
Solar Energy
Silver paste is used in 90 percent of all crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, which are the most common type of solar cell. All silicon cells used in space to power satellites utilize silver in the form of evaporated metal to make the electrical contact.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UNFOLDING BULL-MARKET IN SILVER:
COMPANIES WE FOLLOW | Price | Price | % Change |
| July 9,2001 | July 9, 2003 | 2 Years |
| | | |
HL: HECLA MINING (USD) | 1.15 | 4.70 | 309% |
WTC: WESTERN SILVER CORP (CAD) | 1.05 | 3.39 | 223% |
SSO: SILVER STANDARD RECOURCES (CAD) | 2.59 | 7.00 | 170% |
PAA: PAN AMERICAN SILVER CORP (CAD) | 5.15 | 9.94 | 93% |
SIL: APEX SILVER MINES LTD (USD) | 10.40 | 15.33 | 47% |
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Fundamental Considerations
The following recommendations were valid at the time of writing, viz. at
