Some other reasons for owning SVM:

They're producing in China, with Chinese employees. They can bypass state protectionist measures. A good thing for those who believe that Smoot-Hawley can happen again.

While the Chinese state does sometimes force precious metals companies to sell directly to them, it doesn't have as many reasons to try and control the price of them as the U.S. In fact, if some reports are to be believed, China is one of the main reasons gold is maintaining it's value in the face of falling consumer demand.

All of the "smart" electric car alternatives, particularly the low cost ones that China is looking for, involve lead-acid batteries. We produce a lot of lead.