Silver as Ground Zero in the Global Mineral War
Josh Phair, CEO Scottsdale Mint explains how important Silver is becoming in context of a broadening mineral war with China.
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A Sudden Dislocation in the Silver Market
July opened with an alarm bell. The Exchange for Physical (EFP) premium for silver, which reflects the cost of converting COMEX futures into deliverable metal, surged from near-zero levels to between 60 and 80 cents per ounce. This kind of move does not occur in isolation. At the same time, spot silver jumped more than two dollars, pushing beyond $38 per ounce. These changes appeared within a 48-hour window.
The market had not been showing extreme activity beforehand. There was no retail panic. There was no visible hedge fund blow-up. The sudden dislocation points toward real physical demand. Premiums of this magnitude suggest someone is urgently acquiring silver, and they are willing to pay a steep price to get it now.
The U.S. Tightens Control Over Industrial Metals
This is happening as the United States intensifies its strategic resource policy. A 50 percent tariff on copper imports was announced following a months-long review. The primary objective is to retain domestic scrap copper and soon silver rather than allow it to be exported, particularly to China.