Iran’s Projected Annual Minerals Export

Caretaker of the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade Hossein Modaress Khiabani said that his ministry has targeted exporting US$10.5 billion worth of minerals in the current Iranian calendar year [started March 21, 2020]. Speaking in a meeting with members of the Board of Directors of Iranian Mine House, he expounded on the mineral policies taken in the Ministry of Industry in the current year named after ‘surge in production’ and added, “moving towards producing added-value products and strengthening exports in total steel chain are the main policy of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade in the current year.”

A major part of 200 operational projects which would be inaugurated by 2021 is related to the mining and mineral sector, he said, adding, “a considerable portion of these projects would be put into operation by the yearend.” Despite tough sanctions imposed against the country, huge development projects are being launched in this sector, he emphasized.

Activating small-scale and inactive mines in the country is one of the main policies taken by the Ministry of Industry in the mining and mineral sector. Iran is home to 5,600 active mines which 400 million tons of minerals on average are extracted from annually, and about 60% to 65% of the extracted minerals is related to the construction materials, caretaker of the Ministry of Industry highlighted. - Mehr