Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.16/ Trend G.Mehdi/
Five lead and zinc mines with 20 million tons of reserves are being exploited in Zanjan Province, northwest of Iran, the ISNA reported, citing ministry official Ali Masoumi.
He added that 45 mineral units are in operation in the province, creating 131 jobs.
Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari has said that Iran holds two percent of the world's total mineral reserves.
He added that the mineral reserves include 12 metal and 36 non-metal ores.
Some 5,000 mines are being exploited in the country, he said, adding that around 340 million tons of minerals were extracted in the past year, which ended on March 19.
Iran's mineral produce include coal, metallic elements, sand and gravel, chemical minerals and salt. It has the world's largest zinc reserves, holds the second largest copper deposits and ranks ninth for its iron reserves.