The Bank of China signed a strategic cooperation agreement on Monday with the Tianjin Mining Exchange, a trading institute for mining and exploration rights, offering a $10 billion credit to support the expansion of Chinese mining companies in overseas markets.

On the same day, up to 158 mining rights projects of 48 companies from six countries were listed on the online trading platform of the exchange. Among the projects listed, 19 are from abroad and the rest are domestic.

The mining rights projects cover equity transfers and financing in the fields of copper, gold, lead and other metals.

The Ministry of Land and Resources also signed an agreement on Monday with the Tianjin municipal government to launch a program for international mining financing projects, in a bid to establish a market-oriented mechanism for closer ties among resources, capitals and assets.