The Gold Report: Some recent headlines from The Equedia Weekly Letter include "A Scary Prediction," "Prepare for a Crisis," "A Nuclear Threat" and "A Shockwave Is Coming." Should investors be fearful, or does fear help sell your newsletter?

Ivan Lo: Fear helps sell the newsletter but not necessarily in the way you've worded it. Where there's fear and concern people go looking for answers, and we try to provide them. There's a lot of fear and concern right now—war with Syria in western Asia, nuclear threats from Korea, tensions between Japan and China, tension with China invading India's territory. These situations affect our safety and our financial well-being.

I think investors should be educated. If people are educated they are more prepared and don't feel the need to be fearful. Too many people in North America live inside of a small little box and have no idea what's going on around

The Gold Report: Maria, in April Eric Sprott sold more than $45 million ($45M) worth of units in the Sprott Silver Physical Trust. A spokesperson told Canada's Globe and Mail that the sale was needed to cover charitable obligations and to buy shares in silver mining companies because Mr. Sprott believes silver equities will outperform the metal in the next rally. Can you fill in the details on that thesis?

Maria Smirnova: We believe in the equities—for any commodity—for several reasons. Equities represent a leverage play on the underlying commodity. To use a simple example: Assume Company X can earn $5 when the silver price is $25/ounce ($25/oz). If the silver price increases 20% to $30, that extra $5 goes directly to the bottom line. This doubles the company's profits from $5 to $10. The silver price increases 20%; the profits rise nearly 100%—that is what I call leverage.

In addition,

The Gold Report: Maria, in April Eric Sprott sold more than $45 million ($45M) worth of units in the Sprott Silver Physical Trust. A spokesperson told Canada's Globe and Mail that the sale was needed to cover charitable obligations and to buy shares in silver mining companies because Mr. Sprott believes silver equities will outperform the metal in the next rally. Can you fill in the details on that thesis?

Maria Smirnova: We believe in the equities—for any commodity—for several reasons. Equities represent a leverage play on the underlying commodity. To use a simple example: Assume Company X can earn $5 when the silver price is $25/ounce ($25/oz). If the silver price increases 20% to $30, that extra $5 goes directly to the bottom line. This doubles the company's profits from $5 to $10. The silver price increases 20%; the profits rise nearly 100%—that is what I call leverage.

In addition,

The Metals Report: George, what do Doctor Copper and other indicators tell you about global economic performance over the medium term?

George Topping: You can't take the value of any commodity as a true indicator of physical demand these days. For example, a fortnight ago, copper prices shot up 6% from $3 per pound ($3/lb) to $3.19/lb in a heartbeat. That resulted from financial players pushing the copper price around. It represents what the financial markets think of the world economy. The indicator has some value in that it reflects a collective body of knowledge, but the underlying physical market is not as bad as the financial players would have you think.

Copper consumption will start to pick up. I expect the price of copper will increase because the number of dollars in circulation has tripled in the past five to six years. There's been an incredible printing of currencies and currency

The Metals Report: George, what do Doctor Copper and other indicators tell you about global economic performance over the medium term?

George Topping: You can't take the value of any commodity as a true indicator of physical demand these days. For example, a fortnight ago, copper prices shot up 6% from $3 per pound ($3/lb) to $3.19/lb in a heartbeat. That resulted from financial players pushing the copper price around. It represents what the financial markets think of the world economy. The indicator has some value in that it reflects a collective body of knowledge, but the underlying physical market is not as bad as the financial players would have you think.

Copper consumption will start to pick up. I expect the price of copper will increase because the number of dollars in circulation has tripled in the past five to six years. There's been an incredible printing of currencies and currency

The Gold Report: After the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention in March, you said that the next 12–18 months could define how investors, speculators and mining companies perceive and value both the junior and major mining sectors. That was before the volatility of mid-April. With higher production costs being the new normal, what percentage of miners can make money at the current gold price?

Brent Cook: That is a tough call because companies use different methods to report their gold prices and gold costs. Cash costs are just one factor. When you throw in exploration, general and administrative expenses, royalties and such, it goes up quite a bit.

Everything I have seen published by both the companies and the analysts suggests that the all-in average cost of production for larger mining companies is in the $1,300–1,500/ounce range. That is a tight margin at the current price. Companies are cutting

The Gold Report: After the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention in March, you said that the next 12–18 months could define how investors, speculators and mining companies perceive and value both the junior and major mining sectors. That was before the volatility of mid-April. With higher production costs being the new normal, what percentage of miners can make money at the current gold price?

Brent Cook: That is a tough call because companies use different methods to report their gold prices and gold costs. Cash costs are just one factor. When you throw in exploration, general and administrative expenses, royalties and such, it goes up quite a bit.

Everything I have seen published by both the companies and the analysts suggests that the all-in average cost of production for larger mining companies is in the $1,300–1,500/ounce range. That is a tight margin at the current price. Companies are cutting

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The Gold Report: Thibaut, at your presentation at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in March, you said that country risk was the second most important factor investors should look at when analyzing mining companies. Obviously, management is the most important factor, but how has country risk changed over the previous five years or so?

Thibaut Lepouttre: I think you will agree that there is a direct correlation between the rise in commodity prices and how greedy a country gets. Country risks have increased dramatically over the past five years with the global financial crisis as commodities are a way a government can make money. This trend will definitely continue.

TGR: Will resource nationalism be the single greatest threat to the mining industry over the next decade or so?

TL: Several countries actually have written into their laws language that gives them the authority to nationalize or partially nationalize mining

The Gold Report: Thibaut, at your presentation at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in March, you said that country risk was the second most important factor investors should look at when analyzing mining companies. Obviously, management is the most important factor, but how has country risk changed over the previous five years or so?

Thibaut Lepouttre: I think you will agree that there is a direct correlation between the rise in commodity prices and how greedy a country gets. Country risks have increased dramatically over the past five years with the global financial crisis as commodities are a way a government can make money. This trend will definitely continue.

TGR: Will resource nationalism be the single greatest threat to the mining industry over the next decade or so?

TL: Several countries actually have written into their laws language that gives them the authority to nationalize or partially nationalize mining