TEHRAN – Over 95 percent of the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO)’s plan for reviving small mines across the country has been realized in the first 11 months of the current 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, IRNA reported on Monday.

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

According to an IMIDRO report, as of February 19, a total of 1,483 idle mines were identified, for 881 of which necessary actions and solutions have been determined.

Back in January, IMIDRO Head Khodadad Gharibpour, announced that 66 percent of the program for reviving 150 small mines in the present year was realized.

The official said that his organization revived 99 small mines in the country since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year up to January 11.

IMIDRO head 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 in the current Iranian calendar year.

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 to create jobs for 25,000 people.

Based on 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