Azerbaijan, Baku, Sep.15/ Trend R.Zamanov
Iran produced 66,300 tons of lead and zinc during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, showing 2.4 percent growth compared to the same period last year.
Zinc ingot production accounted for 59,200 tons of the mentioned amount, the IRNA News Agency reported.
The country's lead output also stood at 7,100 tons in the mentioned period.
The total output of zinc and lead amounted to 13,500 tons in the fifth calendar month, which is 2.4 per cent more than previous year.
Deputy head of Iran's Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization Behrouz Borna said in August 2012 that Iran holds three percent of the world's mineral reserves, which puts the country first in the Middle East and third in Asia.
Iran is ranked 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. Iran has the world's largest zinc deposits and is second in copper deposits. Iran ranks ninth for its iron reserves.