Silver price gains are outshining gold's thanks to China's overproduction of solar panels

• Silver prices have soared 35% this year, hitting 12-year highs at about $32 an ounce.
• Silver's rise is driven by industrial demand, especially for solar panels amid green-energy shifts.
• China's strong silver demand boosts imports, with domestic prices higher than international rates.

Record-high gold prices are in the spotlight — but it's really the yellow metal's poorer cousin, silver, that's outperforming in the price rally.

Spot silver prices have gained 35% this year to date, reaching 12-year highs. They're now about $32 an ounce.