Australia, Canada, UK (London mining finance), and Sweden form the core. This is one of the few sectors where Australia is genuinely Tier 1 — BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, and South32 are all headquartered there.
Mining is uniquely tied to where the ore bodies are, not where the money is. Australia has both — the Pilbara iron ore and the corporate HQs. Canada has the corporate HQs (Toronto Stock Exchange is the world's largest mining equity market) even though the mines are in Chile, DRC, and Nevada. UK earns Tier 1 for mining finance and corporate roles, not for in-ground operations. South Africa is the world's most important mining country by diversity of minerals, but it is not a study destination for international students.
See exactly which countries give you the best shot at these companies — scored, ranked, and sourced.