TEHRAN - The 13th International Stone Exhibition of Iran kicked off at Shahr-e-Aftab Exhibition Center near the capital Tehran on Monday.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by senior officials including Deputy Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Reza Mohtashamipour and MP Mostafa Taheri.

As reported, over 110 Iranian companies along with counterparts from six different countries namely China, Russia, India, Italy, Turkey, and Greece are showcasing their latest products and achievements in this five-day exhibition.

The exhibition covers three main areas including mining machinery and equipment, consumables, and minerals processing.

Currently, there are more than 6,000 mining and decorative stone processing units active across Iran, which have provided employment for about 600,000 people.

On average, 10 to 11 million tons of decorative stones are mined in the country annually; however, the production rate has never exceeded 15 million tons.

Although the majority of the products of this industry are sold inside the country, this sector also brings the country an average of 300 to 350 million dollars in revenues every year.

According to the Head of the Iran Stone Association Bahram Shakouri, this industry has the potential to achieve five billion in annual exports.

EF/MA