Precious Metals
January 21, 2025
3 min
Precious Metals
Global silver demand has surged in recent years, outpacing supply since 2020. This imbalance underscores the critical importance of untapped silver resources in meeting future demand. Undeveloped silver projects are poised to play a vital role in addressing the need for this valuable metal, which is essential in industries such as electronics, solar panels, jewelry, investment, healthcare, and green tech.
Latin America: A Hub for Untapped Silver Resources
A closer look at the largest projects reveals that Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru are home to some of the world's most significant undeveloped silver projects. These nations are positioned to become key players in supplying silver to meet future global needs.
Spotlight on Major Projects
- Metates (Mexico): Located in Durango State, Mexico, Metates is a massive project owned by Chesapeake Gold Corp. It boasts a significant amount of both gold and silver, making it a very valuable find. It contains approximately 19.8 million ounces of gold and 542 million ounces of silver in measured and indicated resources.
- Cordero (Mexico): Another large silver deposit in Mexico, Cordero is known for its potential to produce a substantial amount of silver over a long period. It is one of the largest undeveloped silver deposits in the world, with an estimated 1.3 billion ounces of silver equivalent. The project has capacity to produce an average of 33 million ounces of silver equivalent per year for 18 years.
- Iska Iska (Bolivia): Discovered in 2020, Iska Iska is a significant find in Bolivia. It contains a variety of valuable metals, including silver, tin, zinc, lead, and gold. It contains 1.15 billion ounces of silver equivalent. Located in the Potosí region, this large-scale project is regarded as one of the most significant recent mineral discoveries, potentially becoming a world-class mining operation for Bolivia.
Other Noteworthy Silver Projects
- Corani (Peru): 225 Moz (P&P)
- Silver Sand (Bolivia): 202 Moz (M&I)
- Carangas (Bolivia): 171 Moz (M&I)
- DeLamar (USA): 143 Moz (M&I)
- Diablillos (Argentina): 123 Moz (P&P)
- Calico (USA): 110 Moz (M&I)
- Berenguela (Peru): 101 (M&I)
- Panuco (Mexico): 94 moz (Inferred)
- Panuco (Mexico): 88 Moz (M&I)
- Eskay Creek (Canada): 88 Moz (P&P)
- Cerro Las Minitas (Mexico): 83 Moz (Inferred)
- San Diego (Mexico): 82 Moz (Inferred)
The Future of Silver Production
As the global economy continues to grow, these untapped resources represent a crucial opportunity for the mining industry to meet future needs. Beyond their economic potential, these projects can contribute significantly to the development of local communities by creating jobs and generating revenue. With many of the largest deposits located in Latin America, the region is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of silver production.
Source: Company presentations & reports
The information presented here may contain inaccuracies and is subject to rounding. We do not guarantee that all information is complete or correct. We accept no responsibility for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from the use of this information. This is not investment advice.
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