Mining Magazine January 2017 | Page 20

TECHNOLOGY
With the business model being much more widely accepted , and as previously noted an increase in streaming players in the market , should that worry Smallwood and Silver Wheaton ?
“ The ultimate compliment is when someone copies you , it really highlights the strength of the business model that we worked so hard to create 12 years ago ,”
Silver Wheaton may not be the only streaming company in the modern mining industry but the company never set out to “ supply all the capital that the industry requires .” With the focus on investing and acquiring high quality mines at the lowest part of the commodity cycles , Silver Wheaton can remain competitive and market leaders .
For some , having a business model that is so strong that it is replicated on a global scale could very well be the pinnacle of success , but for Silver Wheaton operating in an industry as cyclical as the mining industry and remaining successful through every point of the cycle is key .
“ Mining is not an industry that is easy to forecast in and there are challenges both geological and physical that need to be navigated . Having the success and track record that we have , it is something that I am extremely proud of and it is a record we will strive to maintain and improve on ,” says Smallwood .
The process of entering a streaming agreement is , as Smallwood describes , “ confusing in its simplicity .” When a negotiation for agreement is
20 January 2017