Azerbaijan, Baku, July 23/ Trend, N. Umid/
The biggest copper mine of Iran's north-west region with some 600 thousand tons of reserves discovered in West Azerbaijan province's Maku, head of Industry, Mine and Trade department of Maku, Amir Reza Aliyar said, Donya-e-eqtesad daily reported.
According to the report, the mine's area reaches some 29 square kilometers and the copper reserves' purity is about 1.5 percent.
Iran's mineral and industrial exports faced a 28 percent increase compared to the preceding year.
Iran holds three percent of the world's mineral reserves which puts the country first in the Middle East and third in Asia.
Iran ranks among the 15 major mineral-rich countries of the world and exports its industrial and mineral products to 159 countries, including Iraq, China, the United Arab Emirates, India and Afghanistan.
The important mines of Iran include coal, metallic minerals, sand and gravel, chemical minerals and salt. The country ranks 1st, 2nd and 9th in the world regarding zinc, copper and iron reserves respectively.