You’ve heard all about gold’s 12-year bull run. Like all good things, you figure that it’s bound to end, and as an investor, you’re concerned that may be a screeching halt, one that could put an unfortunate wrench in your financial plans that you can’t afford.

According to market projections, that’s not likely to be the case.

And it’s not just for gold. The precious metals outlook for other such commodities is bright.

Why, Again, Am I Considering the Precious Metals Outlook and Investing?

Before we discuss why you shouldn’t be scared off by gold and other precious metals’ histories and assumptions that they’re inevitably bound to bottom out, it’s worth establishing why you should be considering getting into the market altogether.

That is, gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other precious metals make for strong portfolio hedges. For you, this helps cushion you and your holdings from short-term market volatility, and provide for your portfolio a financial infrastructure.

Think of it this way: President Obama in his State of the Union address insists that the country needs better roads and bridges. So, too, do you need portfolio hedges.

How, Though, Do Precious Metals Work For You?

This is a good follow-up question.

The answer is twofold.

First, gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other precious metals tend to react to market stimuli independently than will most other common stocks and bonds. This isn’t to say that there’s a strictly inverse relationship, and that if the rest of the stock market begins to do well, the value of your bullions, bars and coins will crumble beneath you.

It’s to say that it’s different. Totally different.

However, that works for you in another distinct way. A good one, too.

Because the precious metals outlook is so much different under a certain set of market circumstances than are general stocks and bonds, when the market begins to slip, investors will flock to commodities markets in droves to cushion against losses.

That, as basic economics will tell you, is called a spike in demand, and results in the price of the commodity demanded experiencing a steep upward climb.

For those already holding the commodity, that means bigger gains.

So, even if gold, silver, platinum and palladium weren’t due for significant returns themselves, that they’re the primary options of skittish investors at the first sign of trouble essentially secures their profitability in the long-term – especially if things sour.

So, What Does The Future Have In Store for the Precious Metals Outlook?

Now, for some numbers.

On average, forecasts have gold trading at $1,788.95 per ounce this year, with a low of $1,587.50, a high of $2,250.00, and median of $1,775, according to some 37 forecasts.

As should be apparent, the range for next year’s projections is quite a bit wider. The highest figures show it hitting the $3,000.00 per ounce mark, with the other end of the speculation spectrum showing gold going for $1,420 per ounce. Of course, it’s early.

Some 33 projections, though, saw an average selling price of $1,839.45, and a median of $1,780, both of which most investors could cozy right on up to.

For 2013, the average price per ounce of silver is projected to be $34.01, with the highest reaching $65.00, and lowest going no lower than $26.75. For these, the median settles on $32.85. In other words, it’s a reasonably high upside with a pretty limited downside.

Come next year, though, silver should keep along with its upward climb, with average projections falling on $37.50 per ounce, highs reaching as much as $150.00 and lows slipping no farther than $25.25. The median for these forecasts was $33.50 per ounce.