Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: The Iranian mining sector created 69,000 jobs in the past Iranian fiscal year, which ended on March 20, 2015.
Mehdi Karbasian, chairman of the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), said that $9 billion was invested in magnesium, gold, and steel projects, Iran 's ISNA news agency reported Sept. 15.
He made the remarks in the opening ceremony of Iran's Iron and Steel Conference on the Gulf Island of Kish.
In 2014, some 70 projects were implemented, he said, adding that in 2020, some $26 billion will be invested in mining projects.
He said that Iran boasts rich mines.
"The country enjoys good infrastructures, such as railways, free zones, high security, as well as low price sources of energy."
Steel production rose 6 percent and 6.6 percent in Iran in 2014 and 2013, respectively. Iran was the biggest producer of crude steel in the Middle East in 2013. The country's rank was 14th in the world in 2014, according to the World Steel Association.
Meanwhile, Iran's iron ore reserve is 1400 million tons, while iron content reserves stood at 1400 million tons in 2014.
Iran ranks among 10 top countries in the world in terms of mineral resources with mineral reserves amounting to 60 billion tons.
Edited by CN