BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 1
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
The activities of 253 small and medium-sized mines were restored in Iran over last Iranian year (from March 20, 2020 through March 20, 2021), Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran and Head of Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), Vajihollah Jafari said, Trend reports citing the organization’s website.
Jafari noted that this is an increase of 26 percent compared to the planned figures. So, the activities of 200 small and medium-sized mines were to be restored under the plan.
“The activities of 170 mines were restored within the plan to restore the activities of small and medium-sized mines, while the activities of 83 mines were restored through the implementation of infrastructure projects,” he added.
The deputy minister said that thus, the activities of about 400 mines were restored in Iran from the beginning of the preceding Iranian year (March 21, 2019) to the end of last Iranian year (March 20, 2021).4
According to him, a total of 3,128 people were employed as a result of the restoration of mines last Iranian year. Thus, 1,048 people were employed in metal mines, 854 people in non-metal mines, 613 people in decorative stone mines and 613 people in construction materials mines.
The head stressed that more than 9 million tons have been added to Iran's annual mineral production potential with the restoration of the activities of mines. The most minerals were construction materials, metals, non-metals and decorative stones, respectively.
Jafari also added that in total, 2.62 trillion rials (about $62.5 million) was spent to restore the activities of mines last Iranian year. So, 1.3 trillion rials (about $31 million) was spent on metal mines, 762 billion rials (about $18.1 million) on non-metal mines, 311 billion rials (about $7.4 million) on construction materials mines and 245 billion rials (about $5.83 million) on decorative stones mines.
“According to the plan, the activities of 200 mines are to be restored in 31 provinces of Iran in the current Iranian year (from March 21, 2021 through March 20, 2022),” he said.