Silver stocks in 2024 are benefiting from a strong performance from the price of silver, which has moved above the US$30 per ounce mark for the first time since 2012.
It has been buoyed by a variety of factors, including those driving the gold price’s record-setting performance this year, as well as its own unique tailwinds.
According to the Silver Institute, demand for silver is set to outstrip mine supply for the third year in a row, due in part to rising consumption from sectors dependent on the energy transition, including photovoltaics and electric vehicles.
India in particular has seen silver demand soar after the country introduced regulations for domestic production of new solar projects. This has set the path for the country to nearly double its silver imports this year compared to the 3,625 metric tons of silver it imported in 2023.
How has silver’s price movement benefited Canadian silver stocks on the TSX and TSXV? The five companies listed below have seen the best performances since the start of the year. Data was gathered using TradingView’s stock screener on October 16, 2024, and all companies listed had market caps over C$10 million at that time.
1. GR Silver Mining (TSXV:GRSL)
Year-to-date gain: 187.5 percent
Market cap: C$75.83 million
Share price: C$0.23
GR Silver Mining is a small-cap explorer and developer that is working to advance its Rosario Mining District in Sinaloa, Mexico, to production. The district consists of three core mining areas: Plomosas, San Marcial and La Trinidad.
The company’s primary focus has been the development of Plomosas and neighboring San Marcial, a 9,764 hectare land package that hosts a past-producing silver, gold, lead and zinc underground mine.
In March 2023, the company released an updated resource estimate for Plomosas showing total indicated resources of 97 million silver equivalent ounces, with additional inferred resources of 53 million silver equivalent ounces.
Shares of GR Silver saw significant gains in the first quarter alongside a rising silver price and a March 4 announcement that GR started small bulk sampling and test mining at Plomosas.
The company provided results from the sampling program in an update on June 27. In the report, GR Silver said it had completed 280 meters of underground development and processed 15,170 metric tons of material. Silver recovery rates from the samples were between 84 and 92 percent. Assays from channel sampling produced high grades, with one sample grading 1,625 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver and 14.1 g/t gold over 2.5 meters.
Since then, the company has spent time fundraising. Its most recent news came on September 27, when GR announced it had closed an oversubscribed private placement for C$2.37 million. The company said it intends to use the proceeds toward exploration activities at its Plomosas project.
GR Silver’s share price reached a year-to-date high of C$0.235 on October 9.
2. Gatos Silver (TSX:GATO)
Year-to-date gain: 174.8 percent
Market cap: C$1.6 billion
Share price: C$23.55
Gatos Silver is a silver-focused production and exploration company. Its flagship asset is the Cerro Los Gatos mine and district, located south of Chihuahua City, Mexico.
The site consists of 14 predominantly silver, lead and zinc mineralization zones, and is a joint venture with Dowa Metals and Mining, which holds a 30 percent stake in the operation; Gatos owns the remaining 70 percent.
On February 21, the company released its full-year results for 2023, indicating it had produced 9.2 million ounces of silver, marking a decline from the 10.3 million ounces produced in 2022. However, the company said it improved operational efficiencies to offset inflationary pressure, lowering all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) to the lower end of 2023 guidance.
In the release, Gatos also notes that it expects similar production totals for 2024, with guidance of 8.4 million to 9.2 million ounces of silver at an AISC of US$9.50 to US$11.50 per payable ounce. The company said it anticipates that exploration efforts at the South-East Deeps target will further extend the life of the mine.
On July 23, Gatos reported an update on regional exploration programs. Drilling at the South East Deeps zone extension resulted in a highlight of 214 g/t silver over 3.5 meters.
Additionally, results from its ongoing drilling at the Portigueño target included a highlight of 49 g/t silver over 1.6 meters, and results from two holes testing the depth of the San Luis target produced a highlighted intercept more than 150 meters below surface of 66 g/t silver over 8.9 meters, including 111 g/t silver over 2.5 meters.
On September 5, Gatos announced it had entered into a definitive merger agreement in which it will be acquired by First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG). Under the terms of the deal, Gatos shareholders will receive 2.44 common shares of First Majestic for each share of Gatos held at a price of US$13.49 based on the closing price of First Majestic on the NYSE on September 4, 2024. The transaction sets the total equity value of Gatos at US$970 million. The merger is expected to be completed in early 2025.
In a Q3 production update on October 9, Gatos reported its silver equivalent production in Q3 increased 11 percent year over year. Additionally, through the first nine months of 2024, Gatos produced 7.1 million ounces of silver, up from 6.65 million ounces in the same period in 2023.
The higher figures allowed the company to increase guidance for 2024 to 9.2 million to 9.7 million ounces of silver from its original guidance of 8.4 million to 9.2 million ounces.
Shares in Gatos Silver reached a year-to-date high of C$23.55 on October 15.
3. Avino Silver and Gold Mines (TSX:ASM)
Year-to-date gain: 145.07 percent
Market cap: C$226.98 million
Share price: C$1.74
Avino Silver and Gold Mines is a precious metals miner with two primary silver assets: the producing Avino silver mine and the neighboring La Preciosa project in Durango, Mexico.
The Avino mine is capable of processing 2,500 metric tons of ore per day ore, and in 2023 produced 928,643 ounces of silver, 7,335 ounces of gold and 5.3 million pounds of copper. While within the company’s guidance, there was a 6 percent decrease in silver production over 2022, when it produced 985,195 ounces in the same time period.
In addition to its Avino mining operation, Avino is working to advance its La Preciosa project toward the production stage. The site covers 1,134 hectares, and according to a February 2023 resource estimate, holds measured and indicated quantities of 98.59 million ounces of silver and 189,190 ounces of gold.
On February 28, the company provided an update for La Preciosa, saying it was preparing for the first phase of production at the Gloria and Abundancia veins. Avino also said it has the equipment needed to commence operations at the site once it receives the necessary environmental permits, which it expects later in 2024.
In its Q2 2024 results released on August 13, Avino reported that it had generated record quarterly revenues of C$14.8 million during the second quarter, an increase of 60 percent over the same quarter in 2023. Additionally, the company said it had produced 543,589 ounces of silver through the first half of the year, a 16 percent increase from the 466,755 ounces of silver in the six months of 2023.
Avino’s share price marked a year-to-date high of C$1.74 on October 15.
4. Endeavour Silver (TSX:EDR)
Year-to-date gain: 132.32 percent
Market cap: C$1.49 billion
Share price: C$6.11
Endeavour Silver is a silver company with two operating silver-gold mines in Mexico — Guanaceví and Bolañitos — plus the advanced-stage Terronera development project and several exploration properties.
Its primary focus for 2024 has been its Terronera project in Jalisco, Mexico, which is under construction. Once complete, the new mine will become the company’s flagship operation. According to a 2023 update to its 2021 feasibility report, Terronera will produce an estimated 4 million ounces of silver per year over a 10 year mine life.
On July 24, Endeavour announced that construction at the site had progressed, with surface construction achieving 77 percent completion. The company said it should be ready for dry commissioning during Q3 2024 and that final earthworks and concrete pouring were also expected to take place during the third quarter.
Endeavour reported on August 19 that, following a failure that occurred at the primary ball mill trunnion on August 12, it had resumed processing at its Guanacevi mine site. However, the company noted that its processing capacity would be halved during a ramp up with temporary modifications. At the time, it stated that permanent repairs to return to regular capacity should take 16 weeks for fabrication and installation.
The company estimated that silver production for the year would be 900,000 to 1.1 million ounces lower than previous guidance due to this.
In Endeavour’s Q3 production results released on October 8, the company said the failure and temporary fix had reduced throughput at the mill to 565 metric tons per day, resulting in production of 847,717 ounces of silver, a decrease of 24 percent compared to Q3 2023. For the first nine months of the year, Endeavour produced 3.65 million ounces of silver, 15 percent lower year-over-year.
Endeavour expects Guanacevi to be back to full operations in December.
Shares of Endeavour reached a year-to-date high of C$6.80 on July 15.
5. Defiance Silver (TSXV:DEF)
Year-to-date gain: 129.17 percent
Market cap: C$135.07 million
Share price: C$0.66
Explorer Defiance Silver is working to advance its district-scale Zacatecas silver project in Zacatecas, Mexico.
The project consists of a 4,300 hectare land package and includes four project areas: San Acacio, Lucito, Panuco and Lagartos. Both San Acacio and Lagartos have seen previous exploration and mining activity.
On January 15, the company announced results from its 2023 drill program at the San Acacio target, reporting well-developed silver and zinc values with elevated gold and copper. This includes a highlighted assay of 223.53 g/t silver over 12.82 meters with an interval of 306.86 g/t silver over 7.79 meters.
Defiance provided an update on April 15 on a surface-sampling campaign at the Lucita target. The results show widespread high-grade polymetallic mineralization, with Defiance highlighting grades of up to 795 g/t silver from Lucita North and 2,350 g/t silver from Lucita South. The company said the results reinforce the district-scale potential at Zacatecas.
On July 29, the company announced it closed the second and final tranche of a non-brokered private placement. The aggregate gross proceeds for both rounds came to a total of C$3.22 million, which the company intends to use for exploration and general working capital.
Shares of Defiance reached a year-to-date high of C$0.425 on May 15.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
