Silver is often thought of as gold’s less glamorous cousin, forever overshadowed by bullion’s role as a store of value. Yet the metal has long played a central role in global finance and industry alike. Half of global demand today comes not from investors or jewellers but from factories: silver is vital to electronics, solar panels and even car components. Its hybrid role, as both an industrial commodity and a monetary metal, makes it unusually sensitive to economic cycles. And, unlike gold, which is mined mostly in dedicated projects, most silver is extracted as a byproduct of zinc and gold mining. Are we mining ... (full story)