SILJ vs. GDX
Compare and contrast key facts about ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) and VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX).
SILJ and GDX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SILJ is a passively managed fund by ETFMG that tracks the performance of the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index. It was launched on Nov 28, 2012. GDX is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the NYSE MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index. It was launched on May 16, 2006. Both SILJ and GDX are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
SILJ vs. GDX - Performance Comparison
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SILJ vs. GDX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SILJ ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF | 11.35% | 183.89% | 6.39% | -5.21% | -15.42% | -23.21% | 33.00% | 57.06% | -27.95% | -5.65% |
GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 11.94% | 154.77% | 10.63% | 9.98% | -9.01% | -9.52% | 23.66% | 39.84% | -8.77% | 11.99% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SILJ achieves a 11.35% return, which is significantly lower than GDX's 11.94% return. Over the past 10 years, SILJ has underperformed GDX with an annualized return of 15.15%, while GDX has yielded a comparatively higher 18.07% annualized return.
SILJ
- 1D
- 3.67%
- 1M
- -22.88%
- YTD
- 11.35%
- 6M
- 34.60%
- 1Y
- 163.12%
- 3Y*
- 44.62%
- 5Y*
- 17.55%
- 10Y*
- 15.15%
GDX
- 1D
- 4.62%
- 1M
- -16.76%
- YTD
- 11.94%
- 6M
- 25.38%
- 1Y
- 111.15%
- 3Y*
- 45.40%
- 5Y*
- 25.09%
- 10Y*
- 18.07%
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SILJ vs. GDX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SILJ has a 0.69% expense ratio, which is higher than GDX's 0.51% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SILJ vs. GDX — Risk / Return Rank
SILJ
GDX
SILJ vs. GDX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) and VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| SILJ | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.98 | 2.42 | +0.56 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.97 | 2.60 | +0.37 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.38 | +0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.58 | 3.58 | +1.00 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.52 | 12.86 | +2.66 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SILJ | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.98 | 2.42 | +0.56 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 | 0.71 | -0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.33 | 0.48 | -0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.10 | 0.14 | -0.05 |
Correlation
The correlation between SILJ and GDX is 0.85, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
SILJ vs. GDX - Dividend Comparison
SILJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.80%, more than GDX's 0.66% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SILJ ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF | 1.80% | 2.00% | 7.26% | 0.01% | 0.05% | 0.36% | 1.23% | 1.45% | 1.66% | 0.00% | 0.52% | 2.46% |
GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 0.66% | 0.74% | 1.19% | 1.61% | 1.66% | 1.67% | 0.53% | 0.67% | 0.50% | 0.76% | 0.26% | 0.85% |
Drawdowns
SILJ vs. GDX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SILJ drawdown since its inception was -79.04%, roughly equal to the maximum GDX drawdown of -80.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SILJ and GDX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SILJ | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -79.04% | -80.34% | +1.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -34.71% | -30.84% | -3.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -56.09% | -46.51% | -9.58% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -70.06% | -49.79% | -20.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -23.55% | -17.12% | -6.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -41.66% | -40.60% | -1.06% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.25% | 8.58% | +1.67% |
Volatility
SILJ vs. GDX - Volatility Comparison
ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) has a higher volatility of 20.08% compared to VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) at 17.26%. This indicates that SILJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GDX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SILJ | GDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 20.08% | 17.26% | +2.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 46.92% | 38.43% | +8.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 55.05% | 46.20% | +8.85% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 44.06% | 35.76% | +8.30% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 46.61% | 37.46% | +9.15% |