Who's the fairest of all the silver miners? The competition is heating up alongside silver prices, and now it's Pan American Silver's
Like the queen in Snow White, Pan American appreciates its own beauty as reflected in the silver-coated glass. The miner aims to become the “world's largest and lowest cost” primary silver producer, and the second-quarter results offered a timely and dramatic makeover.
Pan American achieved company records for silver production, gold production, and revenue during the period. The Manantial Espejo mine in Argentina, formerly co-owned by Silver Standard Resources
With these two sources of production growth in play, Pan American produced 5.8 million ounces of silver, and 25,000 ounces of gold, at a cash cost for silver of just $5.99 per ounce. Those operating costs came in below initial 2009 guidance of $6.28 per ounce, but Fools are reminded to track the equally relevant all-in cost of production, which includes mine acquisition and development costs. Pan American's all-in cost stands at $10.10 per ounce of silver; substantially higher than the essentially fixed cost structure of the fairest producer in this Fool's mirror: Silver Wheaton
All-in costs are significant not only to the miners, but to the industry as a whole, since collectively they form a virtual floor beneath long-term prices. After metal prices plummeted last year, I offered the all-in costs of major gold producers like Barrick Gold
Playing favorites
The uncanny parallels between Pan American and resurgent rival Coeur d'Alene Mines