With mining company BHP Billiton reporting a record loss for the past year, you could be forgiven for thinking it was all doom and gloom for the sector. But all is not as it seems.
In fact, data from the FTSE 100 shows quite the opposite. The seven mining companies account for close to 5.5% of the value of the index.
"At the end of 2015 they accounted for around 2.5%, so they've more than doubled in a year, which is impressive," says Jeremy Wrathall, mining team leader at Investec.
The reversal in the fortunes of the sector is shown clearly by diversified mining company Anglo American's experience.