China is the leader in extracting gold, zinc, lead, molybdenum, coal, tin, tungsten, rare earths, graphite, vanadium, antimony and phosphate, and holds second place in mine production of copper, silver, cobalt, bauxite and manganese.
Prices for iron ore, copper, nickel, aluminum and other metals have been in a multiyear slump amid sluggish growth in advanced economies and weakening expansion in emerging markets.