Deputy Minister of Industries, Mining and Trade Jafar Sarghini said 175 million tons of various mineral products were produced in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year (began March 20, 2016) indicating an 11% growth as compared with the corresponding period in the previous year.
“Statistics of the mining sector normally present smaller figures in the first half of every year mainly due to new year holidays and the fact that statistics remain incomplete.”
He underlined that exports of mineral products experienced a 50% growth in the first nine months of the present year adding “in the meantime, the exports volume hit 4.2 billion dollars which reveals a 15% increase as compared to the similar period a year ago.”
The official expressed satisfaction towards export figures in the mining sector since they were unprecedented.
Sarghini went on to maintain that over four million tons of steel were exported in the nine-month period though the figure stood at only 200 thousand tons in 2013.
“A total of 800 million dollars of copper were shipped to global markets in the meantime as well as that cement and tile experienced 300 million and 270 million dollars of growth respectively,” he continued.
He estimated that steel output will reach at least 17.5 million tons in the present year while market recession has affected cement production as it will stand at 57 million tons.
Deputy industry minister noted that iron ore production has risen by 48 per cent thanks to positive measures taken in steel chain sector.
“In the year to come, production capacity for crude steel, sponge iron, pellets and concentrate will climb to 32, 35, 42 and 50 million tons respectively,” highlighted the official.
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