Iran Has 37 bln tons of Mineral Reserves

TEHRAN (FNA)- An Iranian Industries and Mines Ministry official here on Sunday put the proven mineral reserves of the country at 37 billion tons, while rating the likely mineral reserves at 1.5 times this figure.

Vajihollah Ja’fari added that the value added growth rate of the mining sector hit 17.7 percent in the last Iranian calendar year (ended March 19, 2008) overtaking the industrial sector.

“Iran extracted 217.5 million tons of minerals from its 3,558 active mines,” he said, according to Tehran Times. He also added, “The country’s output of metal minerals and non-metal minerals should reach 27.042 trillion rials and 33.052 trillion rials, respectively.”

“Mineral and mining industries account for some 6 percent of the country’s gross domestic production,” Ja’fari stated.

Based on statistics, some 17,000 industrial mining units are active in Iran. The country holds rich deposits of 68 minerals