The accompanying tables present an overview and statistics for a Global Metal and Mineral Mining Index of 78 companies with market caps over $1 billion US Dollars. All companies in this index must derive the majority of their revenues from the following activities: the exploration, mining, extraction, processing, and sale of all types of precious metals, minerals, and industrial metals – EXCLUDING all activities related to uranium, diamonds, coal, powdered metals, metal recycling, and finished steel product manufacturing.

The Top 40 companies are chosen on a quarterly basis as active, equally-weighted components for this index based on a rating system. The Top 40 companies in this index fared better than the following benchmark funds over the past year: Market Vectors Gold Miners (GDX), SPDR S&P Metals & Mining (XME), SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), and iShares Silver Trust (SLV). Both the Top 40 companies and all 78 companies also fared better than resource rich single counry ETFs for both South Africa (EZA) and Australia (EWA). Despite the downturn in commodity prices, including precious and industrial metals, the Global Metal & Mineral Mining Index has held up well due to fundamental strength in many of the underlying companies -- including 30 companies out of 78 with gains over the past year.