Baku, Azerbaijan, June 16
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Iran has a potential to export $8 billion worth of natural stone per year.
The global trade of natural stone amounts to $80 billion, Iran's IRIB reported on June 16.
Around 1,300 natural stone mines are currently operating in Iran, and some 10,000 industrial and mining units are involved in this field.
On May 18, Ali Yazdani, director of resources management department at the Iranian industry ministry, said a total of 7,000 operating and non-operating mines exist in the country.
He added that around 5,600 mines are currently operating in Iran.
Iran holds three per cent of the world's mineral reserves which puts the country first in the Middle East and third in Asia.
Iran is 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.