Investors seek miners that can weather storm ahead

London

A SLUMP in metals prices last week and worries over China's growth prospects have heightened investor scrutiny of whether mining companies have the ability to weather the storm ahead.

China accounts for almost half of global copper demand, 70 per cent of iron ore consumption and vies with India to be the top gold consumer. China's economy is seen growing at 7 per cent this year, the slowest in a quarter of a century.