Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov.29 / Trend F.Milad/
Sixty tons of gold reserves valued at around $3.6 billion, have been explored in different parts of the country, the deputy director of the Geological Survey of Iran announced.
The total proven and probable gold reserves of Iran stand currently at 320 tons, Behrouz Borna added, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported.
Previously he said that the country ranks first in the Middle East for possessing the region's largest mineral reserves.
"Iran holds three per cent of the world's mineral reserves, which puts the country first in the Middle East and third in Asia," Mr Borna added, Press TV reported.
The official also said that the country holds about 68 kinds of minerals. He added that 20 other types of minerals have been identified through recent explorations.
During the first half of the current Iranian calendar year these indicated that the country's proven and probable mineral reserves have increased by 1.65 billion tons and 1.4 billion tons, respectively, an official with the ministry of industry, mine and trade stated.
Reza Azimi told the ISNA news agency that the explorations were carried out over 100,000 square kilometre area across the country. He did not refer to the country's volume of mineral reserves.
Iran is ranked among the top 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 Iranian mines include coal, metallic minerals, sand and gravel, chemical minerals and salt. Iran has the world's largest zinc and second largest copper deposits and ranks ninth for its iron reserves.