What About Mining Stocks?

Although I work buying and selling physical precious metals, many of our customers also own shares of precious metals mining companies. They sometimes ask my opinion on owning mining shares in general or about specific mining companies.

I owned shares of a South African gold mine for some years in the 1970s but have not since. Although I see peripheral information about the mining industry in following precious metals markets, I am absolutely not the “expert” to consult for those considering buying such stocks.

My late father-in-law lived the last several decades of his life in Alaska. He told me he had a gold mining claim that was a dredging operation. But, after the costs of maintaining the equipment, he was only earning about minimum wage levels from his