Azerbaijan, Baku, Mar. 5/ Trend F.Milad/
Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organisation (IMIDRO) carries out some 51 per cent of the total mining explorations in the country, the deputy economy minister Vajihollah Jafari said, Mehr news agency reported.
The deputy head of Iran's Geology and Mineral Exploration Organisation Behrouz Borna said in January 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 it first in the Middle East and third in Asia," 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.
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.