The silver market is very small compared to many other markets. In the year the world produces about 650 million ounces of silver, 200 million comes from recycling and 50 million from sales of individuals, only about 900 million ounces of silver. This is also the approximate size of the annual silver consumption, 45% of silver is used in the electronics industry, 30% of silver is used in jewelry, 20% silver – in pictures, and about 5% of the white metal is bought for investment purposes.
Dimensions of the world’s reserves of silver is approximately 300 million ounces, ie at a price of $ 15 (as it was a few years ago) per ounce of silver world reserves estimated at 4.5 billion dollars. If silver is now worth less than $ 10, these reserves in dollar terms decreased. At the same time, the real value of silver stocks have not declined.