Given the astonishing increase in government expenditures of the past two years, one must ask if there is another parade of taxes and levies waiting in the wings, and, directly related to our precious metals, if there is some form of tax rebellion also waiting in the wings.

The combination of these two concerns—the drift toward socialism and the willingness to violate law—appear to me to be capable of raising the level of civil disorder to a point where such disorders could be positive influences on the price of gold and silver.

…2017 was just the first year with a small increase after a huge drop off in exploration activity. It may take many years of future increases to get back to where the activity was in 2012, as projected increases in exploration spending are seen to be slow and steady.