Mohammad Reza Bakhtari, a representative of the Mining House, has reported that "over 50% of Iran's mines are currently inactive." According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Mr. Bakhtari stated on Saturday, June 9, in Hamedan that out of "five thousand licensed mines in the country, two to three thousand are inactive." The representative emphasized that "if the goal is to create employment and development through mining, then baseless excuses should be rejected and the problems of miners should not be exacerbated." IRNA's report added that there are 283 licensed mines in Hamedan province, of which 180 are closed and inactive. A few days earlier, Mohammad Reza Bahraman, the Vice President of the Mining House of Iran, stated that "today, mineral explorations in the country are relatively dormant" and urged the "government officials" to "leave the work and hand over affairs to the private sector so that this sector can become active." Iran is rich in copper, gold, titanium, coal, silver, zinc, and other metals and elements. According to information published on the 'Country Mine' website, Iran is among the 15 wealthiest countries in the world in terms of mineral reserves. However, the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly announced in November 2014 that "despite billions of tons of known mineral reserves in Iran," the mining sector's share in the country's gross domestic product is "less than one percent."
Representative of the Mining House: Over 50% of Iran's Mines are Inactive
Over 50% of Iran's licensed mines are reported to be inactive, with calls for the government to transfer mining operations to the private sector for revitalization. This situation highlights significant challenges in Iran's mining sector, which is rich in resources but contributes minimally to the economy.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Over 50% of Iran's licensed mines are reported to be inactive, with calls for the government to transfer mining operations to the private sector for revitalization. This situation underscores significant challenges in Iran's mining sector despite its rich mineral resources.
- Out of 5,000 licensed mines, 2,000 to 3,000 are inactive.
- The mining sector contributes less than 1% to Iran's GDP despite vast mineral reserves.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran possesses vast mineral reserves, ranking among the top 15 countries globally, yet the mining sector's economic contribution remains minimal.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%