Global mining in the 21st century: An overview

At present, states and entire regions that possess significant reserves of sought-after minerals have great potential to maintain and even improve their socio-economic position in the foreseeable future. Since the beginning of 2000, the increase in mining volumes of minerals has been more than 50%; however, more than half of all extracted raw materials fall to only five leading countries: China, the USA, the Russian Federation, Australia, and India. This article presents the results of the analysis of the global structure of mineral production by type and geographic region. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the world’s leading mining companies, identifying the key players in the industry. A comprehensive overview of each company’s performance, including key financial indicators and production statistics, is presented. The main environmental risks as a result of the continued increase in the global scale of mining have been identified. The prospects for the development of the mining sector are shown. The results of the study can be used by the scientific community as an information source.