TEHRAN- Production of copper concentrate in Iran stood at 599,624 tons during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-September 21).

Copper concentrate output in the first half of the present year was one percent higher than that of the previous year’s same time span, and also four percent more than the anticipated figure for this year, which was 577,575 tons.

Copper concentrate output in the sixth month of the current year stood at 106,615 tons, which was one percent lower than the figure for the sixth month of the past year.

The monthly output of 100,842 tons was predicted for the sixth month, while the realized production was six percent higher than the expected amount.

The National Iranian Copper Industry Company and its subsidiaries, including Sungun Complex, Miduk Complex and Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex, produced an aggregate of 599,624 tons of copper concentrate during the first half of the current year.

It is worth mentioning that the six-month copper concentrate production in Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex hit the record high of 352,515 tons and the monthly output in Sungun Complex hit the record high of 27,377 tons. 

Used as raw materials in copper smelting, copper concentrates have a copper content of about 30 percent by weight. The remainder consists mostly of sulfur and iron. Copper concentrates are made mostly from sulfide ores. 

In its outlook plan for the mining sector in the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20, 2021), Iran plans to produce 1.427 million tons of copper concentrate.

The country had planned to produce 1.198 million tons of copper concentrate in the past year, while the output reached 1.18 million tons.

Iran has seen its copper exports doubled in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19) despite a series of bitter sanctions imposed by the United States aimed at hampering the Islamic Republic’s trade of lucrative metals.

A senior official at Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), Iran’s largest metals and mining holding, has said that the value of exports for main copper products reached more than $1 billion over the past year.

Mohammad Aqajanlou said that total sales of the National Iranian Copper Industry Company (NICICO) topped 220 trillion rials (about $5.2 billion), a milestone in the 48-year-history of the company.

Aqajanlou added that total turnover for the Iranian copper industry exceeded $4.5 billion over the past year and the NICICO posted a return on investment of 143 percent.