Silver is increasingly being used in the latest technological and industrial applications. In 2018, this trend makes the demand for silver higher than it’s ever been. With demand outstripping supply, the price of silver can go higher.

According to The Silver Institute’s analysis: this demand for silver in industrial application has grown by 60% compared to silver used 2017. In 2018, the demand will continue because of the special properties that make silver so popular. Silver has great electrical conductivity forecasters predict that as the world turns more to electric cars more silver will be needed in the automotive industry. Silver is also used in photovoltaic applications. Demand will rise as we move further into using solar energy to generate electricity. China has made some serious inroads in this regard and that is why China buys more silver than any country in the world.

Silver is still a favourite metal to make jewellery with. The demand for silver jewellery will continue to increase in 2018. It is expected that the jewellery industry will have 4% more sales, which is an improvement from last year’s 1%.

Besides the obvious things we know about Silver there are some exciting technological developments that feature silver more prominently.

In the Czech Republic researchers from Palacký University found a way to boost the body’s ability to fight bacterial infections with silver nanoparticles.

Researchers have also been working at developing what is described as an ‘electronic’ skin with silver playing an important role. University of Colorado Boulder researchers have come up with an ‘electronic skin’ that they claim can is flexible, recyclable but more importantly, is self-healing.

The use of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is now recommended for the treatment of active cavities in paediatric patients by The American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD).

In Switzerland, researchers have developed an adhesive electrode made from conductive silver particles and silicone rubber to make up for the drawback of conventional electrodes used in Electrocardiograms and other monitors.

Other research is being done to develop a way to use silver nanoparticles that would aid in wound dressing.

The moral of the story is that silver is fast becoming an important metal in various industries. In the next couple of years it will be the most sought after metal in the world. When people talk or think about investing in precious metals, most people think of gold. Investors who invest in both metals, base their decisions to buy gold or silver on the gold/silver ratio. Basically the gold/silver ratio is a measure of the relative strength of one metal versus the other (usually gold over silver). It indicates how many ounces of silver you can sell to buy one ounce of gold. Getting the ratio is as simple as dividing the current gold price by the price of silver. If the ratio is high. Then it means gold is more expensive and you could get more for your money by purchasing the cheaper silver bullion. You can sell that silver when the ratio falls and use what you get to purchase some gold. Having a diverse portfolio is always a good idea and silver like gold is always a good investment.

Sources:

1. https://www.kitco.com/news/2018-01-18/These-Factors-Will-Support-Silver-Prices-In-2018-Silver-Institute.html
2. https://www.bullionvault.com/silver-guide/silver-industrial-demand