Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 11 /Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/
Iran will soon start gold extraction works on three new gold mines in Iran's Kurdistan province, Industry, Mine, and Trade Deputy Minister Vajihollah Jafari said, IRIB News reported.
Jafari said that the mines will be transferred to the private sector next month, so the companies would begin their work there, addingt that that there are some 16 tons of gold in all three mines, which would cost around $1,305 billion.
Jafari said that the works on the Kurdistan gold mines would help to boost and increase annual production of gold in the country, which currently stands at 2-2,5 tons per year.
"Within the fifth development plan, Iran should be extracting some 5 tons of gold per year. Adding the three new gold mines of Kurdistan, and also Takab gold mine in Western Azerbaijan province and Bazman gold mine in Sistan & Baluchestan province, Iran should be able to produce these 5 tons of gold next year," Jafari said.
Iran currently has gold mines in Sistan & Baluchestan, Khorasan Razavi, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan provinces, and also a joint gold mine in Isfahan and Markazi provinces.