The Most Precious Metal in the World

In this article, we will take a look at the Top Most Precious Metals in the World. We have also compiled a full free list of Top 10 Most Precious Metals in the World.

The global precious metals market has been undergoing significant changes in the past few years. According to Insider Monkey, the market for precious metals globally was valued at $275.4 billion in 2021. It is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% during the 2023–2030 projected period. The market is expected to reach a valuation of $449.72 billion by 2030, up from its 2022 value of $290.82 billion.

The biggest share in the global precious metals market is held by the Asia Pacific market. It contributes 59% of the total precious metals market revenue, as reported by Insider Monkey. These huge levels of revenue come from the growing domestic manufacturing sectors in countries like China.

Precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium, had a total worldwide market volume of nearly 45,000 metric tons in 2023. It is forecast that the global market volume of precious metals will amount to more than 65,000 metric tons in 2032. The global market for precious metals which includes gold, silver, platinum and others, is extremely dynamic and complex, influenced by a variety of factors. These metals hold significant value in various sectors, ranging from jewelry and industry to finance, often acting as a barometer for economic health.

Due to geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, increasing economic uncertainty, and a weakening U.S. dollar, The World Bank’s precious metals index increased by 9 percent in 2023 quarter one. Strong industrial demand also played a significant role in increasing the price of silver and platinum. Silver prices increased 6 percent in 2023Q1, reflecting sharp increases in its usage for photovoltaics (12 percent), consumer electronics (7 percent), and silverware (25 percent). On the other hand, Platinum, even though very volatile, so far this year had its average price remain broadly unchanged in Q1 of 2023. Weakening global economic growth and market expectations of fewer interest rates hikes may lead to further prices rising. Some of the companies capitalizing on these price increases are discussed below.

Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE)

Coeur Mining (NYSE: CDE) has a diverse portfolio of mines across Mexico and North America, the company produces not only gold and silver but also by-products like zinc and lead.

In 2023, the company's Rochester facility in Nevada reached record production levels, yielding approximately 10.3 million ounces of silver and 317,671 ounces of gold, as given in Insider Monkey. These gains were achieved through the implementation of a new Stage 6 leach pad and a Merrill-Crowe process plant and marked significant improvements both quarterly and annually. Coeur Mining (NYSE: CDE) is on track to complete its new three-stage crushing circuit by mid-2024, a development expected to significantly enhance throughput levels.

Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL)

Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL), established in 1891 in Idaho's Coeur d'Alene mining region, is a prominent silver producer with operations spanning the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The company's notable assets include the Greens Creek mine in Alaska.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Hecla Mining achieved its second-highest production figures ever, delivering 14.3 million ounces of silver. Additionally, the company reported 238 million ounces of silver reserves and total sales of $720.2 million, according to Insider Monkey.

Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE:GORO)

Gold Resource Corp. (NYSE: GORO) is a gold and silver producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Mexico and the U.S. The company owns several assets in Oaxaca, Mexico, including the Arista underground mine, the Aguila mill, and the Mirador underground mine.

In its year-end report for 2023, Gold Resource Corp. (NYSE: GORO) announced they produced and sold 18,534 ounces of gold, 1,036,229 ounces of silver, 10,954 tons of zinc, 904 tons of copper, and 3,681 tons of lead, according to Yahoo Finance.

Methodology

For the purpose of this ranking, we reviewed multiple sources like Mining Technology, Bullion by Post, 911 Metallurgist, and Mining Digital, to name a few that had listed precious metals. With the precious metals shortlisted, we gathered their latest prices from Daily Metal Price. The prices used for ranking are based on USD per kilogram and are as of 3rd of June, 2024. Through this approach we arranged them in ascending order and picked the top 10 with the highest values. The list starts with the metal that had the lowest price per kilogram of all ten metals.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

Is Iridium the Top Most Precious Metal in the World?

Price per kg: $153,519.81

Iridium is the most precious metal in the world.

It is the second densest metal, after Osmium, and the most corrosion-resistant metal element, resistant to air, water, salts, and acids. Iridium currently trades at $153.52 per gram, according to the latest data provided by Daily Metal Price. This sky-high price comes from it being one of the rarest metals. Only three tons of iridium are produced annually, making it one of the rarest metals on the crust of the Earth, according to the Metal Miners Trade Association.

You can see the full free list by going to Top 10 Most Precious Metals in the World.

If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as Microsoft but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: Top Most Precious Metals in the World and 10 Best Gold Mining Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.