Silver Grades Range From 12.63 g/t to 867 g/t Across Working Mines
Global – October 31, 2026 -- Reserve grades at producing silver mines span from about 12.63 g/t Ag at Coeur Mining's Rochester in Nevada to roughly 867 g/t at Hecla's Keno Hill, which shows that no single threshold defines "high-grade" silver.
Fresnillo reported a 2024 silver ore grade of 468 g/t at Juanicipio, an underground operation in Mexico. Hecla's year-end 2025 Keno Hill reserves stood at 25.28 ounces of silver per ton. Rochester's 2025 proven and probable reserves come from a large-tonnage open-pit heap-leach operation.
Grade does not equal recovered metal, and mines sell only recovered metal
A tonne carrying 500 g/t contains five times the silver of a 100 g/t tonne before recovery losses. Mines sell recovered metal, however, not grade. A narrow, discontinuous or hard-to-reach zone can leave a striking assay with limited economic value. Dilution from waste rock can also cut the grade delivered to the plant.