Jaime CarrascoSSR MiningSSRM.TOTOP PICKAug 16, 2013

It's really hard to find a silver deposit, so that's probably why they moved away from silver operations.

It stopped being a silver play a year ago. As they've made acquisitions, they've shifted from South American silver to North American gold. If gold pops, this stock could generate a lot of free cash flow.

We are in the period of seasonal strength for gold and it gives rise to sliver. The time to purchase silver is mid December to end of February. That is because it is an industrial metal. They are resisting at the top end of the descending trend line. It is getting enticing, but he would still wait.

Any silver producing asset is going to have a higher beta, which means it moves more dramatically up and down than gold. Given that we have had a very good run in gold, he would be a little cautious.

Really not a silver company anymore. In the last 18 months, they have managed to convert from a higher geopolitical risk asset base in Argentina, to one that bought a gold company Marigold and Claude Resources. It is much more exposed to gold and silver now.

Stock or bullion?The whole precious metals sector has been out of favour. If going into this, he would be more inclined to take the stock over bullion because of the leverage. This company has multiple mines.

Silver has outperformed gold year to date, 50% versus 30% in terms of upside. He prefers to play silver through Silver Wheaton (SLW-T) giving a lower risk torque.

Will benefit from season strength from Silver. It should go higher from here to October. This stock is a little different so may not go exactly with other silver stocks. Technically you have to like the stock right now.

Because the shares and the underlying options trade so well in both Canada and the US, consider entering this by selling Puts. You grab the premium if you don’t get filled.

Acquiring Claude Resources (CRJ-T) which is good for both companies. Silver Standard is becoming more of a gold company. They have positioned themselves very well through the declining prices. He is not going to sell this because this deal gives them the ability to get the mine in Mexico up and running.

Has been in and out of this for many, many years. Has an interesting range of assets. The Pirquitas mine in Argentina is breakeven, but their Nevada operations are doing well. Their pipeline is pretty good. They own 10% of Pretium Resources (PVG-T), a superb discovery in north-western BC, and is sure they will monetize the stake in that eventually. Although he doesn’t own, he is not ill disposed to it. Fairly fully priced, so you will need implementation success or higher metal prices.

(A Top Pick April 3/14. Down 40.2%.) Loves this company. Have acquired a gold company, so gold production is kicking in. There is continuing growing silver production and the cost of production keeps dropping.

He has been trying to find a good silver play, because the silver price seems either undervalued or reasonably valued. This company recently went on his watch list. It is having difficulty finding those companies with good financial ratios and balance sheets.