Noble Metal Services

Riding the Wave of Rising Gold and Silver Prices – A Refiner’s Take At Noble Metal Services, we’ve got a front-row seat to the remarkable gold and silver price surge over the past few years. The numbers tell a compelling story: Gold has climbed from $1,895/oz at the start of 2021 to over $2,900/oz today—a 53% increase in just over four years. Silver, often the more volatile cousin, has jumped from $26.40/oz to around $33/oz in the same period, a 25% rise, with even sharper spikes in 2024 alone (up 16% year-to-date as of March 2025). What’s driving this? For gold, it’s a mix of geopolitical uncertainty, central bank buying, and its timeless safe-haven status—evident in its record-breaking run past $2,900/oz in early 2025. Silver’s story is dual-natured: industrial demand, especially from solar panels and EVs, is soaring (20% of global silver demand now comes from solar, up from nearly zero in 1999), while its affordability keeps retail investors in the game. The gold-to-silver ratio, hovering near 88:1 today, hints that silver might still have room to outpace gold if industrial momentum holds. From our refining perspective, these trends mean one thing: timing matters. Locking in high market prices through expert refining can turn your scrap or bullion into maximum value. We’ve seen gold’s annual mine production hover around 3,000 metric tons since 2021, while silver’s supply tightens—down 1% to 830.5 million ounces in 2023, with forecasts predicting further dips. Demand, meanwhile, keeps outstripping supply, pushing prices upward. At Noble Metal Services, we’re here to help you navigate this golden (and silver) opportunity. Have thoughts on where prices are headed? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your take! Notes on Stats Used: Gold price: $1,895/oz (Jan 2021) to $2,900/oz (March 2025) – Approximate values based on historical trends and forecasts from sources like J.P. Morgan and Trading Economics. Silver price: $26.40/oz (Jan 2021) to $33/oz (March 2025) – Reflects 2021 starting point and recent data showing a 16% rise in 2025 so far. Silver demand from solar: 20% of global demand in 2023, up from near-zero in 1999 – Sourced from CME Group insights. Supply stats: Gold at ~3,000 metric tons annually (stable); silver at 830.5M oz in 2023, down 1% – From the Silver Institute and Metals Focus. Gold-to-silver ratio: ~88:1 – Calculated from current prices ($2,900 ÷ $33). This post balances hard data with a refiner’s lens, encouraging engagement while subtly positioning Noble Metal Services as a trusted partner.

Effect of alloying elements in #Steel Alloying elements are added to steel to enhance its properties beyond those of pure iron. Here's a concise overview of how various alloying elements affect steel: 1. Carbon (C): Increases hardness and strength, but reduces ductility and toughness. It's the primary element in steel, and its percentage greatly influences steel's characteristics. 2. Manganese (Mn): Enhances strength and hardness. Improves workability by counteracting brittleness from sulfur. Can help in reducing the critical cooling rate for hardening. 3. Silicon (Si): Increases strength and hardness, especially in spring steels. Improves oxidation resistance. Affects electrical properties, used in transformer steel. 4. Chromium (Cr): Significantly improves corrosion and oxidation resistance, essential in stainless steels. Increases hardenability and wear resistance. 5. Nickel (Ni): Enhances toughness, particularly at low temperatures. Improves corrosion resistance and surface finish. Increases hardenability. 6. Molybdenum (Mo): Refines grain size, leading to increased toughness and strength. Enhances creep resistance at high temperatures. Improves corrosion resistance, particularly pitting in chloride environments. 7. Vanadium (V): Forms hard, wear-resistant carbides. Increases strength at high temperatures without significantly reducing toughness. 8. Tungsten (W): Used mainly in high-speed steels for its ability to retain hardness at high temperatures. Increases the red hardness (hot hardness) of steel. 9. Titanium (Ti): Stabilizes carbides, preventing sensitization in stainless steels. Can refine the grain structure, improving strength. 10. Aluminum (Al): Deoxidizes steel to remove oxygen. Can be used for nitriding to produce a hard surface layer. 11. Copper (Cu): Improves corrosion resistance, especially in atmospheric conditions. Can aid in precipitation hardening. 12. Boron (B): When added in trace amounts, significantly increases hardenability without affecting other properties much.

Love to see that Not only is America bringing Technology manufacturing back to the US but they are supporting the education for the next generation. We need more of this!! #semiconductors #preciousmetals