TEHRAN – Iran’s large mining and mineral companies have managed to export $9.489 billion worth of products in first nine months of current year, showing a 90.8 percent hike as compared to last year’s corresponding period.
Up to $280.630 million worth of steel and steel products were exported from the country from March 21 to Dec. 22 in a way that mining and mineral sector accounted for maximum 55.6 percent export share to itself, IRNA reported.
In this period, 3,098,000 tons of products in mining and mineral sector, valued at $2.691 billion, were imported into the country, showing a 0.8 and 11.4 percent growth in terms of weight and value respectively.
According to statistics, steel and steel products accounted for maximum import share in this period in a way that $916.3 million worth of steel products were imported into the country from March 21 to Dec. 22.
Iran’s proven iron ore reserves are 2.7 billion tons, about 0.8 of the world’s total reserves, while the country’s copper reserves are 2.6 billion tons (about 0.4 of the world’s reserves). The country also has 11 million tons of zinc reserve, about four percent of the world’s total reserves.
The total proven reserves of Iran’s mines are estimated at about 60 billion tons, which is expected to reach more than 100 billion tons with the implementation of the Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry’s exploration programs over 500,000 square kilometers of new mineral zones.