Iran’s industrial, mineral exports up 25%

Iran has exported about $16 billion of industrial and mineral commodities during the first three quarters of the current Iranian year (started March 21).

According to a report released by Iran’s Ministry of Industries and Mines, Iran’s exports of industrial and mineral goods increased by 25.17 percent and reached $15.988 billion during a nine month period.

Mineral exports accounted for about $5.302 billion of the total exports, showing a 40 percent increase compared with the similar period last year, IRIB reported.

Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, China, India and Afghanistan were the main export destinations for the Iranian-made products.

Iran is ranked among the 15 major mineral rich countries. The country holds 68 types of minerals, including chrome, lead, zinc, copper, coal, gold, tin and iron.

The oil-rich country has 37 billion tons of proven reserves and more than 57 billion tons of potential reserves of minerals.

The important mines of Iran include coal, metallic minerals, sand and gravel, chemical minerals and salt.

Iran has the world’s largest zinc and second largest copper deposits and ranks ninth in iron. The country with roughly one percent of the world’s population holds more than seven percent of the total mineral reserves of the globe.

The Islamic Republic exported $8.1 billion worth of mineral products in the last Iranian year.