by Jason Hommel, April 14th, 2009Let's review the fundamentals of gold and silver.
The world gold mines produces 2500 tonnes per year, which is about 80 million ounces. With gold at $867, that's $69 billion worth of gold mined each year. That's a tiny market in the scale of world finance, where the USA has $14,000 billion in the US banking system at risk, and has added $11,000 billion of commitments in bail outs, and continues to issue $800 billion bail outs with increasing regularity, with a total budget exceeding $3000 billion, and a budget deficit approaching $1500 billion.
The silver market is a lot smaller. Way smaller than the $69 billion in gold produced. World silver mines produce about 600 million ounces, at $11.88/oz. is $7.1 billion. Unlike with gold, where 95% of demand is for investment purposes, most silver has industrial applications, and there is little relative investment demand. Investment demand in silver is about 10-25% of the market, perhaps headed towards about 150 million ounces per year now, rapidly increasing in 2008, and in 2009 now. 150 million oz of silver, at $11.88 = $1.7 billion market.
Gold Eagle production is 710,000 oz., while Silver Eagle production was about 20 million ounces for 2008. The silver Eagle market is thus only a $237 million market, extremely tiny in the scale of world finance. (more)