TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday inaugurated five major industrial and mining projects worth 400 trillion rials (over $9.5 billion) in four provinces through video conferencing, IRNA reported.

Belonging to the Middle East Mines and Mineral Industries Development Holding Company (MIDHCO), the mentioned projects were inaugurated in Kerman province in the 79th series of inauguration ceremonies since the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20).

The projects included a steel production complex, a copper cathode production complex, a project for equipping mining fleet, a lime and dolomite baking plant, and a coke cooling unit using Coke Dry Quenching (CDQ).

As reported, the mentioned projects have created job opportunities for 4,150 people.

The steel production complex is comprised of six operational units namely material transportation, sintering, oxygen production, utility unit and auxiliary materials, blast furnace, and steelmaking. The complex has the capacity to produce 1.7 million tons of steel ingot per year.

The copper cathode production complex has a production capacity of 50,000 tons per year and is going to create jobs for 400 people.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior industry officials and some officials from the mentioned provinces.

Having 68 different types of minerals, including the world’s largest copper, zinc and iron reserves, Iran is one of the top 10 mineral-rich countries across the globe. In this regard, the Iranian government has been seriously pursuing several programs for promoting the mining sector as a major contributor to the country’s economic growth.

Last week, Rouhani had inaugurated six major industrial and mining projects worth 35.77 trillion rials (over $851 million) in four provinces through video conferencing.

The mentioned projects were inaugurated in Zanjan, Yazd, Hormozgan, and East Azarbaijan provinces in the 78th series of inauguration ceremonies.

A steel ingot production unit, a tile and ceramic production plant, a tobacco processing unit, and a sponge iron pelletizing unit were among the inaugurated projects.

EF/MA