Ali Rostami, who leads the National Iranian Copper Industries Company (NICICO), said on Saturday that Iranian and Belorussian manufacturers of mining machineries are in the final stages of talks to sign a contract for joint manufacturing of heavy-duty dump trucks inside Iran.
Rostami said the project had been agreed upon during a visit by Iranian industries minister Reza Fatemi Amin to Minsk in late July.
He said a total of 500 heavy-duty dump trucks will be manufactured in Iran over the next three years under the joint project with Belorussian companies.
NICICO chief said Iranian mining machinery manufacturer HEPCO will be a key part of the joint project, adding that the company will become involved for the first time in manufacturing 136-ton and 240-ton mining dump trucks.
Rostami said Iran has been forced to import such machinery in the past as he insisted that local manufacturing of the heavy dump trucks will lead to an increase in annual production from Iranian mines by at least 40%.
Iran has introduced major programs to boost activity in its mining and metals sector since 2018 when its sales of crude oil came under American sanctions.
Exports of minerals and metals have boosted Iran's hard currency revenues while the country has been able to create tens of thousands of new jobs for its youth population in recent years.
ZZ/PressTV