TEHRAN – Following a program for reviving, activation, and development of idle small mines, the Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry has revived nine such mines that created 300 job opportunities in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar month (March 20-June 20).

According to IRIB, by conducting diagnostic procedures on 1,053 mines in the mentioned three months, the ministry has increased the production capacity of these mines significantly.

As reported, in the first quarter of this Iranian calendar year, 26 foreign investments worth $500 million were approved in the country, 56 percent of which was accounted for by the industry, mining, and trade sectors.

Currently, more than 12,500 industrial and mining projects with physical progress of over 60 percent and 3800 projects with physical progress of over 80 percent are underway across the country.

Last week, IRNA reported that the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) has assessed 490 idle small mines in 31 provinces across the country since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year.

Since the beginning of the mentioned program last May up to the end of the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year, over 2,620 small mines in 31 provinces have gone through diagnostic procedures for identifying the reasons for their shutting down.

Also during this period, the reviving operations for 155 mines were finalized and 41 mines are now active and in production.

Last year, out of a total of 2,130 mines monitored in 31 provinces, clinical action was performed on 1,020 mines and practical solutions were offered for 146 mines.

Back in May, IMIDRO Head Khodadad Gharibpour announced that his organization was planning to revive 200 small mines by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2021).

Making the remarks in a meeting to discuss the plan for reviving small mines in the country on May 21, Gharibpour said, “We had planned to revive 150 small mines in the past year, but due to the coronavirus pandemic the figure fell to 146.”

EF/MA