TEHRAN - Iranian Mines, Mining Industries Development, Renovation (IMIDRO) has reported the country saw its aluminum output increase by 25% in the five months to August 22, a new sign that government efforts to boost activity in the Iranian metals and mining sector have paid off.
IMIDRO said that aluminum output in the country had reached a total of 270,000 metric tons (mt) over the April-August period.
Largest aluminum smelter Salco was responsible for 117,475 mt or nearly 47% of Iran’s aluminum output in the five months to late August, followed by Iralco and Almahdi at nearly 74,841 mt and 63,625 mt, respectively, showed IMIDRO figures.
The figures showed that Iran’s production of alumina powder, a key ingredient in aluminum production process, had reached 98,169 mt in April-March, up 2% against the same period last year, said IMIDRO, adding that bauxite production had reached 218,067 mt over the same period.
Iran’s aluminum production jumped in 2020 with the inauguration of Salco, a massive plant in the southern Iranian province of Fars, which cost IMIDRO and private investors some $1.2 billion to build.
The project was part of a larger plan by the Iranian government to diversify the country’s economy away from crude oil revenues.
Experts say such plans have paid off as Iran has reported successive periods of growth in its metals and mining sector since oil exports came under American sanctions in 2018.
Launching new metals factories and mines has also enabled Iran to create tens of thousands of permanent jobs for its youth population.