TEHRAN, May 21 (MNA) – Some 4.5 million tons of minerals have been extracted from the mines of the Southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, the head of the province’s Industries, Mining and Trade Organization Mohammad Kazem Monzavi announced.

“The said amount has been extracted from 186 mines of the province by 653.8 billion rials (about $4.6 million) of investments,” he said.

The extracted minerals, as Monzavi describes, are used in various sectors including construction, steel, aluminum, cement, gypsum and etc.

Above 1,500 employees are working in the mines of the province, he added.

Statistics show that minerals accounted for 21 percent of non-oil exports in Iran.

There are 400,000 registered mines in the country. Once 100 mineral processing units are launched, 600,000 employment opportunities will be generated in the country.

Chairman of Parliament’s Industries and Mines Committee of Iran Chamber of Commerce Bahram Shakouri has announced that, “Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has evaluated Iran’s total value of natural resources at $27.3 trillion.”

If demands of minerals’ supply chain are met, mining and mineral sector will realize 60 percent of oil revenues in the country in 2025 Outlook Plan, he said.

HJ/ Shata869209