The global mining industry has come under pressure from falling prices in recent years with the metals commodity price index now at less than half its peak in Q1 2011. The industry faces many challenges, not least weak demand. China remains the dominant player in the sector, and is the number one producer of more than half of the world’s metals and minerals. Chinese demand is also the driving force behind weaker metal prices as the economy rebalances away from resource-intensive growth. Mining is just one area we explore in Passport Natural Resources.