We’ll conclude by digging a bit more into the regulations and pitfalls, and discuss what they are used for, their relationship to gold, and what the future holds.

…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.

If the costs of financing the national debt increase in a manner described in this study, that should, in our opinion, be regarded as a long-term plus for the precious metals.