Peter Schiff: Silver Mining Stocks Should Have Doubled in December
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 31 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AG?
Source: Benzinga
- Surge in Silver Prices: In December, silver prices surged by 35% to $76 per ounce, yet the Global X Silver Miners ETF only rose by 11%, indicating a significant disconnect that may lead investors to miss out on potential gains.
- Investor Denial: Schiff highlighted that silver mining stocks typically offer leveraged exposure to silver prices, but their underperformance amid a strong rally reflects a skeptical market attitude towards the sustainability of silver price increases.
- Attractive Investment Opportunity: Despite a 14% correction in silver prices, Schiff suggests that silver mining stocks are now better buys, potentially attracting investors looking to capitalize on silver price fluctuations.
- Historic Gains: Silver prices have increased by 154.57% year-to-date in 2023, while leading silver mining stocks have failed to keep pace, indicating a potential undervaluation in the market that could present future investment opportunities.
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Analyst Views on AG
Wall Street analysts forecast AG stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 21.490
Low
19.03
Averages
22.18
High
24.50
Current: 21.490
Low
19.03
Averages
22.18
High
24.50
About AG
First Majestic Silver Corp. is a mining company. The Company is focused on silver and gold production in Mexico and the United States. It owns and operates approximately 350,000 hectares of land package, which include the San Dimas Silver/Gold Mine, the Santa Elena Silver/Gold Mine, the La Encantada Silver Mine, and a 70% joint venture interest in the Cerro Los Gatos Silver Mine as well as a portfolio of development and exploration assets, including the Jerritt Canyon Gold project located in northeastern Nevada, United States. The San Dimas Silver/Gold Mine is located over 130 kilometers (km) northwest of the city of Durango, Durango State, Mexico. The Santa Elena Silver/Gold Mine is located over 150 km northeast of the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The La Encantada Silver Mine is an underground mine located in the northern Mexico State of Coahuila, 708 km northeast of Torreon. The Cerro Los Gatos Mine is located around 120 kms south of Chihuahua City, Mexico.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Historic Acquisition: Nord Precious Metals has acquired four mining leases in the Gowganda Silver Camp, consolidating nearly 4 kilometers of historic boundary, which is expected to drive new mineralization discoveries and enhance production potential.
- Surging Silver Prices: Silver prices surpassed $100 for the first time in 2026, reaching a historic high of $121.67 in January, driving demand for high-grade mining areas and likely accelerating mining investments.
- Significant Resource Potential: The acquired leases host a historical NI 43-101 indicated tailings resource of approximately 1.94 million tonnes grading 47.5 g/t Ag, expected to yield about 2.96 million ounces of silver, indicating substantial economic value.
- Infrastructure Advantage: Nord already possesses a permitted high-grade milling facility and a 600-ton-per-day gravity plant, enabling rapid tailings recovery, which is anticipated to expedite project advancement and enhance profitability.
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- Historic Acquisition: Nord Precious Metals has consolidated nearly 4 kilometers of historic property boundaries in the Gowganda Silver Camp by acquiring four mining leases, encompassing three past-producing mines that collectively yielded over 42 million ounces of silver, significantly enhancing the company's resource base and future extraction potential.
- Surging Silver Prices: Silver prices soared above $100 per ounce for the first time in 2026, reaching a historic high of $121.67 on January 29, which has driven demand for high-grade mining areas, making Nord's acquisition strategically significant in strengthening its market competitiveness.
- Modern Exploration Techniques: Utilizing a 3D geological model developed from 75,000 meters of historical drilling data, Nord has identified 29 discrete vein structures and plans to conduct new exploration across the consolidated land package, aiming to uncover additional mineralization opportunities.
- Infrastructure Advantage: With the only permitted high-grade milling facility and a 600-ton-per-day gravity plant in place, Nord is poised to accelerate the development and production of its silver assets, thereby enhancing its position within the silver mining sector.
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- Silver Production Decline: First Majestic Silver reported Q1 silver production of 3.5 million ounces, a 4% year-over-year decrease attributed to lower head grades milled, reflecting the company's strategic response to rising metal prices while still tracking within 2026 guidance.
- Gold Output Decrease: Gold production fell to 34,341 ounces, down 6% year-over-year, primarily due to reduced gold grades milled, indicating challenges in production efficiency under the current metal price environment.
- La Encantada Mine Performance: The La Encantada mine saw a significant 48% year-over-year increase in silver production, driven by higher grades mined from the Ojuelas zone and improved management initiatives, suggesting enhanced production capabilities in specific areas.
- Jerritt Canyon Restart Plan: First Majestic has initiated a restart plan for its Jerritt Canyon mine, targeting production in H2 2027, based on expanded mineral resource estimates and successful drilling results over the past two years, demonstrating the company's confidence in future growth.
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- Price Fluctuation Analysis: SIL stock has a 52-week low of $33.11 and a high of $119.24, with the latest trade at $91.91, indicating significant volatility that may influence investor buying decisions.
- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the current stock price to the 200-day moving average provides valuable insights for investors, helping to assess market trends and potential buy or sell opportunities.
- ETF Trading Mechanism: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade similarly to stocks, where investors buy and sell 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting liquidity and market performance.
- Inflows and Outflows Monitoring: Weekly monitoring of changes in ETF shares outstanding highlights those experiencing notable inflows (new units created) or outflows (old units destroyed), which can directly affect the underlying stocks held within the ETFs.
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- Restart Plan Initiated: First Majestic Silver has announced a $75 million restart plan for its Jerritt Canyon gold mine, driven by an expanded mineral resource base and strengthened long-term gold price assumptions, reflecting the company's confidence in future gold mining development.
- Resource Estimate Increase: By the end of 2025, Jerritt Canyon's mineral resource estimate totals 4.1 million ounces of gold, with an additional 3.7 million ounces classified as inferred resources, indicating a significant increase in the mine's potential value that could yield substantial economic returns.
- Consulting Partnership: The company has engaged Stantec Consulting Services for a pre-feasibility study on Jerritt Canyon, expected to be completed in Q4 2026, which will provide critical decision-making insights for the mine's future development.
- Market Environment Shift: Jerritt Canyon was placed on care and maintenance in March 2023 due to high contractor costs and extreme weather events, while current gold prices have rebounded to $4,783.20, suggesting that the improved market conditions may support the restart plan.
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- Surging Silver Prices: Since the U.S. Geological Survey added silver to the Critical Minerals List in November 2025, prices have skyrocketed from $30 to over $121 per ounce, setting a 45-year record and highlighting silver's importance as a strategic industrial commodity.
- China's Export Ban: In January 2026, China imposed a complete ban on silver exports, tightening global supply as China accounts for approximately 20% of global mine supply, exacerbating the supply-demand imbalance in the market.
- Americore Resource Project: Americore Resources has expanded its Trinity Silver Project in Nevada to over 36 million ounces of Silver Equivalent and plans a Q2 2026 drill campaign aimed at upgrading resources from Inferred to Indicated, which is expected to significantly enhance its market value.
- Leading Industry Performers: First Majestic Silver produced 15.44 million ounces of silver in 2025 and completed a $970 million acquisition of Gatos Silver, demonstrating that industry leaders are achieving record results in the context of tightening silver resources.
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