TEHRAN - Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA)'s Mining Committee says more than 146 idle small mines were revived by the Industry, Mining and Trade Ministry in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2019-March 2020).

According to Bahram Shakouri, in addition to reviving and developing small-scale mines, 2,130 small mineral zones were also identified and 364 projects were defined for them, IRNA reported.

“The continuation of this program could vitalize the small and medium-sized mines as the frontiers of a leap in the mining industry in the current year.

Back in March, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) had announced that over 95 percent of the plan for reviving small mines across the country was realized in the first 11 months of the previous Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019-February 19, 2020).

Based on the mentioned plan, IMIDRO was going to revive 150 idle small mines across the country in collaboration with the Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry.

Earlier in January, IMIDRO Head Khodadad Gharibpour mentioned this plan as one of the most significant plans of “Resistance Economy”, saying that his organization was strongly determined to carry it out.

He said based on an MOU signed two years ago, 500 small mines were planned to be revived throughout the country in five years to create jobs for 25,000 people.

According to the statistics released by Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade there are about 4,000 inactive mines in the country at present, the official said, adding they include nine percent of metals mines, 21 percent of decorative stones mines, 51 percent of constructional materials mines, and 15 percent of other minerals mines.

Holding 68 types of different minerals Iran stands at the 10th place in the world in terms of diversity of its mineral reserves.

The country has over 60 billion tons of untapped mineral deposits, of which 40 billion tons are proven reserves, placing Iran at the 15th place globally.

EF/MA