Silver Investment Demand Surges and Other Silver News

Silver investment demand surged through the first three quarters of 2020, according to the latest issue of Silver News published by the Silver Institute.

Global silver Exchange Traded Product (ETP) holdings rose by 297 million ounces through the third quarter of this year, nearly tripling the growth in the comparable period last year.

Global ETP holdings continue on an upward trajectory in the 4th quarter, according to the report. As of Oct. 23, they were over 1.045 billion ounces, slightly off the high registered in August.

Demand for physical silver was also strong through Q3. The demand for silver bullion coins was up 65%. Silver bar demand rose sharply through the first three quarters of the year as well.

There were also indications of a partial recovery in global industrial demand during the third quarter with further momentum gains going into Q4.

The latest edition of Silver News also highlights some other fascinating technological developments utilizing the white metal along with some developments in the silver market.

• Current printing methods to layer molten metals on electronic circuit boards involve ‘sintering,’ a process that heats the metal, usually silver powder, to high temperatures before sputtering it onto the board. If this process could be done at room temperature, it would catalyze a new world of wearable sensors that could literally be tattooed onto a person’s skin. Penn State researchers say they have accomplished this goal.
• Using an infrared laser technique, scientists at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Russia (SPbPU) have been able to produce glass with silver ions in precise configurations that allow the use of Raman Spectroscopy. This is vitally important to researchers because it allows them to study even the tiniest amount of a substance.
• The Royal Mint has produced what it considers the world’s most ‘visually secure’ bullion coins for its silver and gold products. The new features can be seen by the naked eye but are almost impossible to reproduce.
• Keyvan Aviation of Istanbul, a corporate jet management company, has reportedly produced the world’s first airline antibacterial and antiviral crew uniform. The uniforms are made from 97% cotton and are imbedded with silver ions.
• Scientists at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Yunnan Province, China (XTBG) have synthesized silver nanoparticles using the leaf extract of a traditional medicinal shrub which has been shown to be effective against termites and other pests by attacking the insects’ digestive systems. The leaves are added to a solution of nitrate and silver nanoparticles are extracted through a process known as biosynthesis.
• A rapid 3D printing technique known as Laser Powder Bed Fusion or LPDF is a common method for quickly producing cases and cabinets for electronic devices like smartphones or conventional printers, but it has a drawback. It can only print black plastic. Now, researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, have discovered that by introducing small amounts of nanosilver into the thermoplastic polyurethane powder used for printing they can produce yellow-colored housings and perhaps additional colors by varying the amount of silver.