Western Mining History : Reliving the Industrial Revolution of the West

Source: United States Geological Survey

SILVER STATISTICS By Kenneth E. Porter and Henry E. Hilliard [All values in metric tons (t) unless otherwise noted] Last modification: February 5, 2004

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Silver Worksheet Notes

Data Sources
The sources of data for the silver worksheet are the mineral statistics publications of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and the U.S. Geological Survey—Minerals Yearbook (MYB) and its predecessor, Mineral Resources of the United States (MR); and Mineral Commodity Summaries (MCS) and its predecessor, Commodity Data Summaries (CDS). Metal price data were from Metal Prices in the United States through 1998 (MP98). The years of publication and corresponding years of data coverage are listed in the References section below. Blank cells in the worksheet indicate data were not available.

Mine Production
Mine production data for the years 1900–2002 were recorded from the MR and the MYB. Mine production data for the years 1900– 2002 represent the recoverable silver content of precious–metal ores that were extracted from domestic mines.

Primary Production
Primary production data for the years 1900–2002 were recorded from the MR and the MYB. Primary production data for the years 1900–2002 represent the quantity of silver that were recovered from ores, concentrates, dorés, and precipitates from both domestic and foreign sources in domestic refineries. Data for primary silver production for 1995 and 1996 are not available due to lack of reporting by industry.

Secondary Production
Secondary production data for the years 1901–93 were recorded from the MR and the MYB. Secondary production data for the years 1901–93 represent the silver recovered from old silver scrap and waste at domestic refineries. Secondary production from old scrap has not been reported separately from new scrap since 1993.

Shipments
Shipment data for the years 1970–97 were recorded from the CDS and the MCS. Shipment data for the years 1970–97 represent the silver content of various silver materials that were shipped from Government stockpiles to domestic recipients.

Imports
Import data for the years 1908–2002 were recorded from the MR and the MYB. Import data for the years 1908–2002 represent the recoverable silver content in imported silver bullion.

Exports
Export data for the years 1908–2002 were recorded from the MR and the MYB. Export data for the years 1908–2002 represent the recoverable silver content in exported silver bullion.

Stocks
Stock data for the years 1967–2002 were recorded from the MYB. Stock data for the years 1967–2002 represent the silver content of various silver materials that were stockpiled at industrial facilities consisting of producers, consumers, and dealers. Industry stock data were not available prior to 1967. Blank fields indicate data were not reported in the MYB or MCS.

Apparent Consumption
Apparent consumption data for the years 1901–94 and 1997–2002 were recorded from the MR and the MYB. Apparent consumption data for the year 1900 was estimated by linear extrapolation back from the series for the years 1901–10. Apparent consumption data for the years 1995–96 were interpolated from the apparent consumption data series. Apparent consumption data for the years 1901– 2002 represent the total quantity of silver that was consumed for industrial, art, and coinage purposes.

Unit Value ($/t)
Unit value data for the years 1900–98 were recorded from the MP98. Unit value data for the years 1999–2002 were recorded from the MYB. Unit value is defined as the value of 1 metric ton (t) of silver apparent consumption. Unit value data for the years 1900–2002 represent the average value per metric ton of silver of a minimum purity of 99.9%.

Unit Value (98$/t)
The Consumer Price Index conversion factor, with 1998 as the base year, is used to adjust unit value in current U.S. dollars to the unit value in constant 1998 U.S. dollars.

World Production
World production data for the y