TEHRAN- Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani inaugurated a plant and a processing unit in Sungun Copper Complex in East Azarbaijan Province on Saturday, Shata reported.

The newly inaugurated units, which are aimed to complete the production chain in the copper complex, will increase the country’s copper cathode output by 100,000 tons to 400,000 tons by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 19, 2020), which is also planned to reach 500,000 tons soon after that.

Rahmani was accompanied by Ardeshir Sa'd-Mohammadi, the managing director of Iran's National Copper Company, and Khodadad Gharibpour, the head of Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), during his trip to the northwestern province.

The minister also inaugurated the administrative building of the copper complex.

Sungun Copper Complex, located in Varzaqan County, has been set up with the aim of stable supply of copper concentrate and molybdenum, promotion of equipment and technical knowledge and transfer them to the small mines to support them, completing copper production chain and gaining more value added.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony on Saturday, Rahmani said, “We will hit a new record in production of copper in the current [Iranian calendar] year (ends on March 19, 2020).”

Last month, the minister said €2.5 billion worth of projects in the copper industry are underway across the country including Kerman, Yazd and East Azarbaijan provinces.

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 (about $17.8 million) has been invested.

According to IMIDRO’s latest reports, major Iranian copper producers produced an aggregate of 1.17 million tons of copper concentrate in the last Iranian year to register an increase of three 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.

MA/MA

Photo: Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani cuts the ribbon on a plant and a processing unit in Sungun Copper Complex in East Azarbaijan Province on Saturday.