Tehran, Iran, May 31
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Two to three thousand mines out of a total of five thousand in Iran are non-operational.
Announcing the news, Iran Mine House representative Mohammad Reza Bakhtari said that in the past few years, a lot of problems have been created against mining activities in the name of environment protection, IRNA news agency reported May 31.
Right now mines comprise less than one percent of the country's area, whereas natural resources comprise a large deal of that area, he said, concluding that mining activities cannot be a great danger to the resources.
If we mean to create job opportunities and reach development through mines, then unfounded alibi must be abandoned and putting obstacles on the way of mining must end, he urged.
Miners are not confident enough to continue their job because every day they expect to be given new punishments.
He compared Iran to Australia and said that while the number of mining engineering graduates in Iran has risen above that in Australia, Iran does not compare to that country in mining activities.
According to the Sixth Economic Development Plan, Iran needs USD 15 billion in investment to develop its mineral sector and increase production capacity of steel, aluminum, and copper industries.
There are more than 68 different types of minerals have been discovered in the country.
Iran ranks among 10 top countries in the world in terms of mineral resources with mineral reserves amounting to 60 billion metric tons.