TEHRAN- Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) is planning to revive 200 small mines by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2021), the head of organization announced, IRNA reported on Friday.

Making the remarks in a meeting to discuss the plan for reviving small mines in the country, Khodadad Gharibpour also said, “We had planned to revive 150 small mines in the past year, but due to the coronavirus pandemic the figure fell to 146.”

“Given the significance of reviving small mines, we have doubled the organizations’ internal budget for the plan to revive small mines in the current year”, the official further noted.

Implementation of the mentioned plan is going to create 3,000 job opportunities in the country.

IMIDRO head has mentioned this plan as one of the most significant plans of “Resistance Economy”, saying that his organization is strongly determined to carry out it.

The official has said reviving small mines stands among the top priorities of IMIDRO.

He said based on an MOU signed two years ago, 500 small mines were planned to be revived throughout the country in a course of five years.

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.

MA/MA