TEHRAN- Iranian Deputy Industry Minister Mehdi Karbasian announced that during the ending Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20) 30 mining and related industries projects utilizing $3.3 billion of investments have been started or put into operation, IRNA reported on Friday.

“The projects, which have been implemented by Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) and its subsidiary companies, have created direct and indirect jobs for above 75,000 people in the said time,” Karbasian, who is the head of IMIDRO, said in an exclusive interview.

As the official announced earlier in March, underway mining and related industries projects in Iran require 104 trillion rials (about $2.212 billion) of investment to be completed.

Exploration plans should be seriously followed up in order to discover new mines, he said and stressed the necessity of applying modern technology in this due.

HJ