TEHRAN- The value of Iran’s exports from the mining sector stood at $5.088 billion in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), registering a 126 percent increase compared to the figure for the same five months in the previous year.

Based on the official data, Iran exported 21.978 million tons of the mentioned products to register an 11 percent rise in terms of weight, IRNA reported.

Steel chain products accounted for the biggest share of the exported products during the period under review, with $3.089 billion of products being shipped to foreign markets.

Exports of steel products registered a 176 percent growth, followed by copper and copper products with $621,600 of exports and registering an 82 percent growth year on year.

Meanwhile, the highest export growth in the mentioned period with a 373 percent rise was achieved by ceramic, brick, and ceramic products.

Also, in the first five months of this year, more than $183.3 million worth of zinc products, $174.2 million worth of cement products, $92.2 million worth of sponge iron, and $69.6 million worth of stones and related products were exported.

Alumina powder, titanium products, lead products, molybdenum, chromium, granulated iron ore, iron ore concentrate, and mica were other products exported from the country's mining and mineral industries in the first five months of the current fiscal year.

Iranian mining industry registered a $4.271 billion positive trade balance in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20), according to the Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry data.

Based on the mentioned data, some 55.124 million tons of minerals and mining industry products worth $7.682 billion were exported in the previous year, while the imports of such products stood at only $3.410 billion.

The Islamic Republic imported 4.156 million tons of mining and mineral products last year, registering six percent and 13 percent year-on-year rise in terms of value and weight, respectively.

The exports of such commodities in the previous year, however, fell 11 percent in terms of value and 21 percent in terms of weight, compared to the preceding year.

EF/MA