TEHRAN – Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani said €2.5 billion worth of projects in the copper industry are underway across the country including Kerman, Yazd and East Azarbaijan provinces, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Rahmani made the remarks in the inauguration ceremony of five copper projects in Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex in the central district of Rafsanjan County in Kerman Province, southeast Iran, in which over 750 billion rials (over $17.8 million) has been invested.

According to Rahmani, construction of a copper smelter plant and a new acid production project in Khatoun Abad Copper Complex in Kerman Province as well as comprehensive water, refinery and smelting projects in Sungun Complex are some of the major projects underway in the copper industry.

Back in June, the managing director of Iran’s National Copper Company said several projects were started for increasing the country’s annual production of copper concentrate by 450,000 tons.

According to Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO)’s latest reports, major Iranian copper producers produced an aggregate of 1.17 million tons of copper concentrate in the last Iranian year (ended March 20) to register an increase of 3 percent year-on-year. 
Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex was the biggest producer with 701,700 tons, up four percent year-on-year; followed by Sungun Complex with 324,203 tons, and Miduk with 148,583 tons. 

Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex and Khatooun Abad Copper Complex produced an aggregate of 313,784 tons of copper anode during the year, up 56 percent on year.

EF/MA