Government`s readiness to engage with the private sector in the development of mineral industries and processing units

Mehdi Karbasiyan added that the mine exploration category, which is being pursued by Iran Mining and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), has been implemented mostly in less developed regions of the country.

According to him, most of the 15 blocks of mines that were assigned to the private sector last week were located in less-favored areas of the country, which can be used to develop mineral industries along with mines.

This week, IMIDRO handed over 15 blocks of the Abadeh-Jazmoryan area in Fars province, which was publicly released last year, to private sector investors.


This exploration investment is aimed at involving the government and the private sector in order to attract investment by the private sector, and the talents of these blocks are in iron and chromite reserves.


The chairman of IMIDRO`s board of directors emphasized: we need to help the private sector by law to be able to build processing factories in these areas, such as lime processing, paper processing from rock and phosphate factories in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad provinces, Lorestan, Kermanshah and South Khorasan. He noted that if the private sector agrees and is interested in this, the government is prepared to contribute to projects or support to invest in them.


Referring to aerial geophysical operations in 200,000 square kilometers of the country`s districts by IMIDRO, Karbasiyan said, "The operation is being carried out by the Geological Survey and other mineral exploration of about 100,000 square kilometers of other areas." It can lead to the exploration of underground resources. He noted about machinery and import dependence: machinery is one of the most important tools for development of mineral activity, in this case, small and medium mines are not particularly problematic and domestic products meet the needs.


The deputy minister of industry, mining and commerce continued: in large mines, he needed to supply shawls (a type of excavator for the loading of hard rock or mineral soils) and dump trucks (special mine trucks) as well as certain items and machinery We are dependent on imports.

He reminded: In the past few years, with the government`s decision, new and even newly operating machinery was imported into the country, and the private sector began to import shawls and dump trucks, which somewhat supply needs, but there are still some deficiencies.

Karbasiyan said: "In order to address the shortcomings, meetings have already taken place with the contractors` association, machinery association and domestic producers."

There are over 66 types of minerals and 54 billion tons of mineral reserves found in the country.