According to the Canadian International Bank of Commerce (CIBC) last year a total of 1,434 mining companies was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX and TSX-V),  and “only” 173  on the London Stock Exchange and Alternative Investment Market (with 610 on Australia’s ASX).
However,  the market capital value of the Canadian companies was US$359.6  billion – that of ASX was 294. But the London-listed companies were worth a whopping, combined, US$427.7 billion.
Interestingly,   mining equity capital raised last year in the UK capital reached US$21.7 billion – which (give a million or two) was exactly that raised in Toronto.
[Source: mining Journal 26 November 2010].
Comments mining researcher Roger Moody (with some seasonal irony?) “This simply means that we in London have to be more agile next year in attracting minerals businesses to the UK. With such a fine bunch of international banks,  world-class economists at our political helm, and the Russian mafia simply gagging to take over our football teams, we are bound to succeed!”