Silver Per Capita
History plus 2025 context

Silver mining history and the 2025 estimate

World silver mine production rose from 5,400 metric tonnes in 1900 to 25,000 tonnes in the latest complete historical year, 2021. USGS estimates 26,000 tonnes in 2025; Mexico, Peru and China contribute about 51%, while the nine leading countries contribute 80%.

Coverage1900–2021 history; 2025 estimatePrimary sourceUSGS Data Series 140 and Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026Published2026-09-26
World silver mining poster with annual output plotted from 1900 through 2021, including a 28,600-tonne 2016 peak. A separate panel shows the 26,000-tonne 2025 world estimate as bars for nine named producers and other countries. The top three contribute 51% of the estimate.
World silver mine production grew from 5,400 tonnes in 1900 to a 26,000-tonne 2025 estimate; the top three countries account for about 51% and the top nine for 80%.
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Chart data and description

The exact USGS annual world series ends at 25,000 tonnes in 2021, after a 28,600-tonne 2016 peak. A separate 2025 estimate shows Mexico at 6,300 tonnes, Peru at 3,600 and China at 3,400; nine named producers total 20,800 tonnes and the other-countries remainder is 5,200 tonnes. No line joins the historical record to 2025.

1900 world output5,400 tMetric tonnes of metal content
2021 world output25,000 tLatest complete historical year
2025 world estimate26,000 tUSGS estimate

Named-country mine production, 2025

1Mexico
6,300 t
2Peru
3,600 t
3China
3,400 t
4Bolivia
1,500 t
5Chile
1,400 t
6Poland
1,300 t
7Russia
1,200 t
8United States
1,100 t
9Australia
1,000 t
10Argentina
800 t
11India
800 t
12Kazakhstan
630 t
13Canada
400 t
14Sweden
400 t
USGS estimate. The combined “Other countries” value is excluded because it is not a country.

Sources, methods and reusable data

The chart, axes and labels come from the published data; the engraved artwork is decorative. Read the source notes or download the underlying data.

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Suggested citation

Silver Per Capita. “Silver mining history and the 2025 estimate.” 2026-09-26. https://silverpercapita.com/infographics/world-silver-production-1900-2025