World production of silver

Silver-producing countries.
In 2009, three countries stand silver producers: Peru, Mexico and China.
Since 2002, Peru is the largest producer of silver in the world. In 2009,
Peru produced 125.3 million ounces of silver, i.e 2 900 tonnes of silver. Silver production in Peru has almost doubled since 1998. Peru is the second largest producer of copper and zinc, the fourth in lead and fifth in gold. Four largest mines in Peru produce half silver of country. It primarily produces zinc, gold, copper, and even molybdenum. Silver production in Peru is an associated production. Its first place of silver producer is the result of the high level of the four other productions.
China is the second world's largest producer of silver with 96.4 million ounces of silver (3 000 tons). China is also the largest producer of zinc, lead, gold and the fourth largest producer of copper, its place was therefore surprising.
Mexico, after record years of 2005 to 2008, significantly decreases it saw a significant decline in its production of silver in 2009 with 80.3 million ounces of silver, a decrease of 22.8% from the peak year of 2008 ( 104 million ounces of silver). The third of the Mexican silver production comes from single large silver mine which is the second in world; it also produces lead and zinc.
Chile is the fourth largest silver producer in the world with 64.3 million ounces. There is a direct correlation between the growth of copper production in Chile and its silver production. Chile is by far the largest producer of copper, its copper production is 4 times higher than the second largest producer of copper.
Australia is the fifth largest silver producer with 57.8 million ounces of silver produced in 2009. The first silver mine in the world is Australian, it is a polymetallic mine: silver-lead-zinc. It produces 5% of world production of silver and 60% of Australian production.
Bolivia produced 43.7 million ounces of silver. Its production triple in 3 years after the opening of two new giant mines (gold, silver, zinc and silver).
Russia, the seventh largest producer of silver in the world, last year it produces 41.7 million ounces of silver. The first silver mines in the country produces over a third of national production and it is a mixed gold-silver mine.
USA is the eighth silver producers with 39.5 million ounces. In 1997 USA were the second with 69.1 million ounces of silver. First U.S. silver producer produces more than a quarter of silver production. It is also the second largest producer of zinc and the third of lead.
Poland is the ninth largest producer of silver with 38.5 million ounces of silver. 100% of It production comes from a single copper mine...
There are about fifty other countries that produce the silver in smaller quantities (Kazakhstan, Sweden, Morocco, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Brazil, South Africa, Korea, Japan, Spain...).

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