1. (No.32 globally) Alberto Bailleres Gonzalez and family [Mexico] - $18.2 billion
Gonzalez owns a holding company called GroupoBAL, which amongst other things runs Penoles, which is the world's largest producer of refined silver and bismuth, as well as Latin America's largest producer of lead and zinc.
2. (No. 35 globally) Iris Fontbona and family [Chile] - $17.4 billion
Iris Fontbona is the widow of Antonio Luksic, who is the founder of the Luksic Group.
Similar to GroupoBAL, Luksic holds a number of interests in different areas, but predominantly in mining. The group has major holdings in Antofagasta, the UK listed copper miner.
Australia's own Gina Rinehart graces the list early on. Gina inherited much of her wealth from her father's company and operations through Hancock Prospecting. The company owns swathes of extremely prospective iron ore tenements throughout the Pilbara, which is now being transformed into the massive Roy Hill mine.
Rinehart also shares in the profits generated by the Hope Downs mine, and also has major stakes in the Alpha Coal and Kevin's Corner coal project in the Galilee Basin.
4. (No. 40 globally) German Larrea Mota-Velasco & family [Mexico] - $16.7 billion
German Lerrea Mota-Velasco is the head of Grupo Mexico, the largest mining corporation in Mexico and the third largest copper producer in the world.
Through its subsidiary Southern Copper it has the largest copper reserves in the world.
5. (No 100 globally) Eike Batista [Brazil] - $10.6 billion
Batista is the chairman of the Brazilian conglomerate EBX Group, which focuses primarily on mining.
The company owns the enormous Minas Gerais iron ore mine in Brazil, which is already in production, and the Mato Grosso do Sul operation through its subsidiary MMX.
Uzbek businessman Iksander Makhmudov is the main owner of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company.
The company is the second largest copper producer in Russia, and its main focus is a complete copper production chain, from mining to the finished goods.
The second Australian on the list, Forrest is the face behind iron ore giant Fortescue Metals Group.
Previously the CEO, Forrest has led the company from its days as a junior into the current Pilbara mining power house it is today, coming on to the scene to catch the first waves of the boom and ride out the crest of record high iron ore prices.
Steinmetz inherited the Geneva-based Stienmetz Diamond Group from his father, however he has also founded another Geneva-based company, Beny Steinmetz Group Resources (BSGR).
BSGR managed to wrest away control of Simandou blocks 1 and 2 from Rio Tinto in 2008 for exploration, and subsequently entered into a joint venture with Vale on the site.
His companies are predominately focused on diamonds, iron ore, and nickel.
Through BSGR subsidiary Cunico his company accounts for 10% of global ferronickel production.
He established Vedanta in 1986 and since that time has garnered operations across three continents. Its Australian assets include Mt Lyell in Tasmania.
Motsepe is a South African mining magnate and the founder and chair of African Rainbow Minerals.
He got his start and exposure to mining running a Spaza shop popular with miners.
He later went to university and specialised in mining law. Motsepe soon bought marginal gold mines from AngloGold, eventually buying a number of operating mines as well.
He also sits on a number of boards, and is the non-executive chairman of Harmony Gold.
1. (No.32 globally) Alberto Bailleres Gonzalez and family [Mexico] - $18.2 billion
2. (No. 35 globally) Iris Fontbona and family [Chile] - $17.4 billion
3. (No. 36 globally) Georgina 'Gina' Rinehart [Australia] - $17 billion
4. (No. 40 globally) German Larrea Mota-Velasco & family [Mexico] - $16.7 billion
5. (No 100 globally) Eike Batista [Brazil] - $10.6 billion
6. (No. 123 globally) Iskander Makhmudov [Russia] - $8.7 billion
7. (No. 211 globally) Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest [Australia] - $5.7 billion
8. (No. 316 globally) Beny Steinmetz [Israel] - $4.1 billion
9. (No. 395 globally) Anil Agarwal [India] - $3.4 billion
10. (No. 490 globally) Patrice Motsepe [South Africa] - $2.9 billion
