|
This table presents detailed data on the quantities and values of various forms of silver imported into the United States from different countries and localities. It categorizes imports into five types: other unwrought silver, metal powder, silver nitrate, semimanufactured forms, and waste and scrap. This information is crucial for understanding the supply chain dynamics of silver, a metal widely used in electronics, jewelry, photography, and various industrial applications. Tracking import sources and volumes helps policymakers, industry stakeholders, and economists assess market dependencies, price fluctuations, and potential vulnerabilities in the U.S. silver supply.
Analysis of the 2023 data reveals that Mexico remains the dominant supplier, with imports totaling 562,000 kilograms of waste and scrap valued at $51.1 million, alongside 248,000 kilograms of other unwrought silver worth $186 million. The semimanufactured forms category is led by Taiwan, contributing 523,000 kilograms valued at $396 million, followed closely by Korea with 372,000 kilograms worth $274 million. Notably, total imports for 2023 show a decrease in other unwrought silver to 386,000 kilograms valued at $260 million, compared to 455,000 kilograms and $305 million in 2022. Japan stands out in metal powder imports with 25,000 kilograms valued at $4.55 million, while the United Kingdom leads in waste and scrap imports with 876,000 kilograms valued at $159 million. These trends highlight shifting sourcing patterns and the continued importance of a few key countries in supplying the U.S. silver market.
| TABLE 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF SILVER, BY COUNTRY OR LOCALITY1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other unwrought silver | Metal powder | Silver nitrate | Semimanufactured forms2 | Waste and scrap | ||||||||||||||||
| Gross weight | Value | Gross weight | Value | Gross weight | Value | Gross weight | Value | Gross weight | Value | |||||||||||
| Year and country or locality | (kilograms) | (thousands) | (kilograms) | (thousands) | (kilograms) | (thousands) | (kilograms) | (thousands) | (kilograms) | (thousands) | ||||||||||
| 2022 | 455000 | 305000 | 282000 | 154000 | 2950 | 425 | 1800000 | 1330000 | 5700000 | 1300000 | ||||||||||
| 2023: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Argentina | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 84200 | 1650 | ||||||||||
| Australia | 30 | 22 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 63200 | 49600 | 23100 | 2350 | ||||||||||
| Bahamas, The | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10500 | 164 | ||||||||||
| Belgium | 15 | 13 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 17700 | 13400 | 3550 | 3140 | ||||||||||
| Brazil | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 26600 | 1760 | ||||||||||
| Canada | 39400 | 18700 | 11200 | 712 | 300 | 91 | 303000 | 236000 | 1720000 | 130000 | ||||||||||
| Chile | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 8300 | 21 | ||||||||||
| China | 2 | 3 | 1580 | 144 | 140 | 16 | -- | -- | 13800 | 16 | ||||||||||
| Costa Rica | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 19900 | 1450 | ||||||||||
| Dominican Republic | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 16800 | 1300 | ||||||||||
| Ecuador | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5540 | 166 | ||||||||||
| France | 21 | 12 | 12700 | 1400 | -- | -- | 29 | 29 | 18800 | 120 | ||||||||||
| Germany | 850 | 572 | 4050 | 2560 | 287 | 15 | 18000 | 15600 | 140000 | 30700 | ||||||||||
| Hong Kong | -- | -- | 5300 | 4150 | -- | -- | 5700 | 3960 | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| Hungary | 13700 | 493 | 5610 | 444 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| India | 74 | 24 | 1510 | 1170 | -- | -- | 1090 | 838 | 27800 | 3810 | ||||||||||
| Indonesia | -- | -- | 5010 | 375 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| Italy | 3080 | 2190 | 15700 | 9990 | -- | -- | 120 | 102 | 718 | 70 | ||||||||||
| Japan | -- | -- | 25000 | 4550 | -- | -- | 2370 | 1910 | 501000 | 121000 | ||||||||||
| Korea, Republic of | 22300 | 15100 | 29600 | 21700 | 68 | 36 | 372000 | 274000 | 2120 | 1390 | ||||||||||
| Malaysia | -- | -- | 101 | 14 | -- | -- | 171 | 144 | 12400 | 1930 | ||||||||||
| Mexico | 248000 | 186000 | 13300 | 744 | -- | -- | 54 | 23 | 562000 | 51100 | ||||||||||
| Peru | 47300 | 35700 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 528 | 224 | ||||||||||
| Poland | 526 | 437 | 82700 | 62800 | 85 | 51 | 157000 | 121000 | 19700 | 1410 | ||||||||||
| Portugal | 10000 | 521 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2950 | 656 | ||||||||||
| Singapore | 41 | 16 | 1120 | 893 | -- | -- | 102 | 113 | 118000 | 3960 | ||||||||||
| South Africa | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 12700 | 17000 | ||||||||||
| Switzerland | -- | -- | 22100 | 14200 | 3 | 6 | 115000 | 89100 | 17 | 648 | ||||||||||
| Taiwan | -- | -- | 3090 | 212 | -- | -- | 523000 | 396000 | 104 | 171 | ||||||||||
| Thailand | 21 | 15 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 44200 | 7740 | ||||||||||
| United Arab Emirates | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 17200 | 100 | ||||||||||
| United Kingdom | 54 | 37 | 98 | 75 | 1810 | 150 | 132000 | 105000 | 876000 | 159000 | ||||||||||
| Uzbekistan | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 42400 | 32600 | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| Other | 46 | 40 | 720 | 601 | 19 | 41 | 4140 | 3220 | 14900 | 94100 | ||||||||||
| Total | 386000 | 260000 | 240000 | 127000 | 2720 | 404 | 1760000 | 1340000 | 4310000 | 638000 | ||||||||||
-- Zero.
1Table includes data available through August 30, 2024. Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2Containing 99.5% or more by weight of silver.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Silver statistics | Mineral commodity prices