The city-state prospered mainly because of its mines, from which metals (mostly copper, Cyprus's chief export in the ancient world) were extracted.
ðə sˈɪɾistˈeɪt pɹˈɑːspɚd mˈeɪnli bɪkˈʌz ʌv ɪts mˈaɪnz, fɹʌm wˈɪtʃ mˈɛɾəlz mˈoʊstli kˈɑːpɚ, sˈaɪpɹəsᵻz tʃˈiːf ˈɛkspoːɹt ɪnðɪ ˈeɪntʃənt wˈɜːld wɜːɹ ɛkstɹˈæktᵻd.