Overall silver production rose by 2.5% in 2010. New projects in Mexico and Argentina were the main reason for this increase, which totaled some 739.5 million ounces. This change came about as a result of increased production in primary silver mines and as a by-product of lead/zinc mining. For the first time, Mexico eclipsed Peru as the world’s largest silver producing country. China, Australia and Chile round out the top five. Global primary silver supply recorded a 5 percent increase to account for 30 percent of total mine production in 2010.
Top 20 Silver Producing Countries in 2010(millions of ounces) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mexico | 128.6 | |
| 2. | Peru | 116.1 | |
| 3. | China | 99.2 | |
| 4. | Australia | 59.9 | |
| 5. | Chile | 41.0 | |
| 6. | Bolivia | 41.0 | |
| 7. | United States | 38.6 | |
| 8. | Poland | 37.7 | |
| 9. | Russia | 36.8 | |
| 10. | Argentina | 20.6 | |
| 11. | Canada | 18.0 | |
| 12. | Kazakhstan | 17.6 | |
| 13. | Turkey | 12.3 | |
| 14. | Morocco | 9.7 | |
| 15. | India | 9.7 | |
| 16. | Sweden | 9.2 | |
| 17. | Indonesia | 6.9 | |
| 18. | Guatemala | 6.3 | |
| 19. | Iran | 3.4 | |
| 20. | South Africa | 2.8 | |
Top 20 Silver Producing Companies in 2010(millions of ounces) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Country | Output | ||
| 1. | BHP Billiton | Australia | 46.6 | |
| 2. | Fresnillo plc¹ | Mexio | 38.6 | |
| 3. | KGHM Polska Miedź | Poland | 37.3 | |
| 4. | Pan American Silver Corp.¹ | Canada | 24.3 | |
| 5. | Goldcorp Inc.³ | Canada | 23.0 | |
| 6. | Cia. Minera Volcan², ³ | Peru | 20.0 | |
| 7. | Hochschild Mining | Peru | 17.8 | |
| 8. | JSC Polymetal | Russia | 17.3 | |
| 9. | Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp.¹ | USA | 16.8 | |
| 10. | Sumitomo Corp.³ | Bolivia | 14.4 | |
| 11. | Kazakhmys plc. | Kazakhstan | 14.1 | |
| 12. | Cia. de Minas Buenaventura² | Peru | 13.5 | |
| 13. | Southern Copper Corp. | USA | 12.6 | |
| 14. | Xstrata Zinc4 | Switzerland | 11.6 | |
| 15. | Teck Resources | Canada | 11.5 | |
| 16. | Eti Gümüş A.Ş. | Turkey | 11.5 | |
| 17. | Kinross Gold5 | Canada | 11.3 | |
| 18. | Hecla Mining¹ | USA | 10.6 | |
| 19. | Yamana Gold | Canada | 10.0 | |
| 20. | Industrias Peñoles | Mexico | 9.2 | |
| ¹ Primary silver producer | ||||
| ² Includes production from minority subsidiaries | ||||
| ³ Estimate | ||||
| 4 Reported silver in concentrate and lead bullion | ||||
| 5 Reported Sales | ||||
World’s Leading Primary Silver Mines in 2010(millions of ounces) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Mine/Country | Operating Company | Prod. |
| 1. | Cannington¹, Australia | BHP Billiton | 38.60 |
| 2. | Fresnillo, Mexico | Fresnillo plc. | 35.91 |
| 3. | Gümüsköy, Turkey | Eti Gümüş A.Ş. | 11.46 |
| 4. | Dukat², Russia | JSC Polymetal | 11.10 |
| 5. | Pallancata, Peru | Hochschild Mining / International Minerals | 10.14 |
| 6. | Uchucchacua, Peru | Compañia de Minas Buenaventura | 9.27 |
| 7. | Arcata, Peru | Hochschild Mining | 8.10 |
| 8. | Greens Creek, U.S. | Hecla Mining | 7.21 |
| 9. | Imiter³, Morocco | Société Métallurgique d’Imiter | 7.20 |
| 10. | San Bartolomé, Bolivia | Coeur d’Alene Mines | 6.71 |
| 11. | Alamo Dorado, Mexico | Pan American Silver Corp. | 6.68 |
| 12. | Pirquitas, Argentina | Silver Standard | 6.30 |
| 13. | Palmarejo, Mexico | Coeur d’Alene Mines | 5.89 |
| 14. | San José, Argentina | Hochschild Mining / Minera Andes | 5.32 |
| 15. | Ying4, China | Silvercorp Metals | 4.32 |
| ¹ Reported payable metal in concentrate; ² Including Gotsovoye; ³ Estimate; 4Reported sales | |||
Material and statistics in this section were adapted in part from the Silver Institute’s World Silver Survey 2011 publication.
