Silver Production in India, Distribution, Uses, Reserves, Challenges

Silver production in India is largely dependent on the recovery of silver as a by-product of lead, zinc, copper and gold mining. Although India has limited standalone silver mining, the metal is an important industrial resource because of its applications in electronics, solar energy, electric vehicles and other emerging technologies. Its dual role as a precious metal and an industrial metal makes it relevant for the Indian economy and the clean-energy transition.

What is Silver?

Silver (Ag) is a soft, lustrous, white metal belonging to the group of noble metals. It is valued both as a precious metal and as an industrial raw material.

Its important properties include:

• Highest electrical conductivity: Silver conducts electricity better than any other metal, making it valuable in electrical and electronic applications.
• High thermal conductivity: It transfers heat efficiently.
• Malleability and ductility: It can be shaped into thin sheets and drawn into wires.
• Resistance to atmospheric oxidation: It retains its lustre under ordinary atmospheric conditions.
• Light sensitivity: Silver halides, particularly silver chloride and silver iodide, react to light and have been used in photographic materials.

Major Uses of Silver

Silver’s demand comes from investment, jewellery and a wide range of industrial applications.

• Electronics and electrical equipment: Used in printed circuit boards, electrical contacts, conductive coatings and electronic components.
• Solar energy: Silver paste is used in photovoltaic cells to conduct electricity generated by sunlight.
• Electric vehicles and power infrastructure: Used in electrical contacts, charging systems, batteries and other electronic components.
• Telecommunications and digital infrastructure: Used in electronic circuits and components supporting communication networks and data infrastructure.
• Jewellery and silverware: Used for ornaments, utensils and decorative articles.
• Investment: Purchased in the form of bars, coins and other investment products.
• Photography: Light-sensitive silver compounds have traditionally been used in photographic films.
• Other applications: Used in mirrors, brazing and soldering, water purification, antimicrobial products and certain industrial catalysts.

Its industrial demand makes silver different from gold, which is primarily valued for jewellery, investment and monetary purposes.

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Silver Production in India

India does not have significant standalone silver mining operations. Silver is generally found along with lead, zinc, copper and gold ores and is recovered during their processing and refining.

According to the Indian Minerals Yearbook 2024, there were no working mining leases for silver in India for production purposes. Domestic output is therefore largely dependent on the production and processing of other metals.

How is Silver Produced in India?

Silver is recovered as a by-product or co-product during the smelting and refining of silver-bearing ores and metal concentrates.

• Silver commonly occurs with lead and zinc ores, particularly their sulphide ores, as well as copper and gold ores.
• Silver-bearing lead ore, including argentiferous galena, is processed to recover silver.
• Recovery takes place through metallurgical processes such as smelting, electrolysis and chemical refining.
• Since silver is often a by-product, its production is linked to the output and processing capacity of lead, zinc, copper and gold.

This dependence means that an increase in silver demand does not automatically lead to a proportionate increase in its production.

Major Silver-Producing Centres in India

The Indian Bureau of Mines identifies the following important production and recovery centres:

• Rajasthan: Chanderiya lead-zinc smelter of Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), located in Chittorgarh district, is the principal domestic silver-producing facility. Hindustan Zinc is India’s leading silver producer.
• Karnataka: Silver is recovered during gold refining at Hutti Gold Mines in Raichur district.
• Gujarat: Hindalco Industries recovers silver as a by-product while processing imported copper concentrates at Dahej.

The Indian Minerals Yearbook 2024 also records earlier silver recovery at facilities in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. However, these should not be confused with the principal production centres reported for 2023–24.

Silver Production in India: Latest Data

According to the Indian Bureau of Mines, India’s silver production in 2023–24 was 745,980 kg (about 746 tonnes), an increase of 4.51% over the previous year.

Note: The above state-wise figures exclude silver recovered by Hindalco at Dahej from imported copper concentrates. Hindalco separately reported recovery of 73,745 kg in 2023–24.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 estimated India’s silver mine production at 800 tonnes in 2025, compared with 700 tonnes in 2024. These are international estimates and may differ from Indian Bureau of Mines figures because of differences in reporting coverage and methodology.

Distribution of Silver Resources in India

As per the National Mineral Inventory database of the Indian Bureau of Mines, based on the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC), India’s total silver ore resources were estimated at approximately 568.64 million tonnes as of 1 April 2020.

These resources contained an estimated 30,267.91 tonnes of silver metal, comprising 7,707.07 tonnes of reserves and 22,560.84 tonnes of remaining resources.

Rajasthan accounts for the overwhelming majority of India’s silver resources.

Important: These percentages refer to the distribution of silver resources by ore quantity. When measured by silver metal content, Rajasthan accounts for approximately 97.93% of the national total.

India also has a small and distinctive native silver deposit at Bharak in Rajasthan. However, most domestic silver is associated with other metallic ores rather than occurring as independent deposits.

Global Silver Production and Reserves

According to the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026:

• Global silver mine production was estimated at 26,000 tonnes in 2025, compared with 25,300 tonnes in 2024.
• Mexico was the largest producer, followed by China and Peru.
• India produced an estimated 800 tonnes in 2025.

Countries with major silver reserves:

India holds a relatively small share of global silver reserves compared with major resource-rich countries.

Why is Silver Considered a Critical Industrial Metal?

Silver’s importance is increasing with the expansion of renewable energy, electric mobility and digital infrastructure.

• Solar energy transition: Silver is used in photovoltaic cells, linking its demand with the expansion of solar power.
• Electrification: Electric vehicles, charging infrastructure and power grids require silver-bearing electrical components.
• Digital economy: Electronics, telecommunications and data infrastructure use silver because of its conductivity.
• Supply constraints: A large share of silver is produced as a by-product of lead, zinc, copper and gold mining. Consequently, production depends partly on the economics and output of these other metals.
• Supply-chain security: In November 2025, the United States added silver to its list of critical minerals, reflecting its industrial importance and supply-chain considerations.

Silver’s dual role as an investment asset and industrial input makes its market particularly sensitive to changes in both financial demand and industrial consumption.

Challenges Associated with Silver Production in India

• Limited standalone mining: The absence of working silver mining leases for production makes domestic output dependent on other metal industries.
• Concentration of production: A large share of reported domestic production comes from Rajasthan, creating geographical concentration.
• Import dependence: India’s apparent silver consumption was estimated at 7,951 tonnes in 2023–24, substantially higher than its reported domestic production.
• By-product dependence: Silver output is linked to lead, zinc, copper and gold production, limiting the ability to increase supply independently.
• Recycling gaps: Recovery of silver from electronic waste, spent catalysts, jewellery and industrial scrap can help supplement primary production.
• Environmental concerns: Mining, smelting and refining of associated ores require effective management of emissions, waste and water use.

Way Forward

India needs to strengthen its silver supply chain through better recovery from existing metal-processing operations, exploration of silver-bearing deposits and improved recycling systems.

• Improve by-product recovery: Upgrade extraction and refining technologies at lead-zinc and copper smelters.
• Strengthen mineral exploration: Undertake systematic exploration of silver-bearing geological formations and associated deposits.
• Promote urban mining: Recover silver from electronic waste, discarded solar panels, industrial scrap and spent catalysts.
• Improve resource efficiency: Encourage research into reducing silver use in industrial applications without compromising product performance.
• Ensure sustainable processing: Strengthen pollution control, waste management and resource-efficient practices in mining and refining.