[242] .....British entrepreneurs were able to exploit worldwide opportunities in the extractive industries because of the availability of capital on the London Stock Exchange and because of Britain's position as the leading capital-exporting economy. The London Stock Exchange emerged the world's largest source of mining finance in the late 19th century - and an enormous conglomeration of information about opportunities worldwide. ... In many instances in the 19th century, however, British entrepreneurs were engaged in exploiting new opportunities at the frontiers of the expanding world economy. ...