WCE has managed to time its arrival on the Australian silver...

WCE has managed to time its arrival on the Australian silver scene just when silver mining in Australia is starting to fire up and just when the silver price breakout which we've been expecting for so long is actually starting to happen. Perfect timing.

I'm hoping that rather than waiting to prove up a large deposit, they will follow the example of mining companies such as VTX and KSN and get into production as soon as possible, then use the production income to fund a large scale exploration programme. Admittedly, VTX and KSN have their own processing plants, but WCE should be able to negotiate a toll treatment deal.

While companies such as SVL, ARD and IVR have been scratching around for over ten years and still look unlikely to get into production in the foreseeable future, WCE could be in production by mid-2026, and join in the silver production renaissance along with KSN (already in production) and POL (starting production this month).

Other Australian companies are likely to expedite their production plans as the silver price increases, and we might see MMA do a toll treatment deal and start mining in early 2026.

A silent sleeper on the Australian silver scene is BGD, and if they continue to find bonanza silver grades, they might expedite the refurbishment of their mill and get into silver and gold production in 2026, and HRZ might bring forward the start of production from their Nimbus deposit.

Although still a minnow, ILT might become a significant player on the Australian silver scene, and another Queenslander, BMR, could have some quite juicy silver grades along with gold and copper.

If I had to guess which of the new silver companies will be the first into production, I would say WCE and MMA.