Financial Tribune- Some 284 million tons of mineral products were produced in Iran during the 11 months to February 18, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization�s latest report shows.

The output for the 11th Iranian month stood at 24.9 million tons, down 7% compared to the previous month.

Iran is home to 68 types of minerals with over 37 billion tons of proven and 57 billion tons of potential reserves, including large deposits of coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, uranium and gold.

> Iron Ore Sector

Iron ore concentrate had the biggest share in Iran�s mineral production during the period with 28.55 million tons, registering a 19.07% growth year-on-year.

Gologhar Mining and Industrial Complex accounted for 11.26 million tons of the total output, followed by Chadormalu Mining and Industrial Complex with 8.28 million tons, Iran Central Iron Ore Company with 3.74 million tons, Middle East Mines and Mining Industries Development Holding Company with 3.16 million tons, Sangan Iron Ore Complex with 1.544 million tons and Goharzamin Iron Ore Company with 554,115 tons.

All companies posted double-digit growth with the exception of Chadormalu, which registered a 2.68% uptick in production. Sangan had the highest growth with an 82.82% rise in output.

Sangan Iron Ore Complex operates Iran�s largest and the world�s ninth largest iron ore reserves, estimated at about 1.2 billion tons.

Iran accounts for about 3% of global iron ore reserves (estimated at 4.5 billion tons) with over 200 ore deposits. The country is also the 9th largest iron ore and the 13th largest steel producer globally.

Pellet accounts for the second biggest mineral output during the 11 months with a total output of 23.31 million tons, up 15.80% compared with last year�s similar period.

Mobarakeh Steel Company was the largest pellet producer with 6.74 million tons, followed by Golgohar with 6.41 million tons, Khouzestan Steel Company with 5.61 million tons, Chadormalu with 3.32 million tons and Middle East Mines and Mining Industries Development Holding Company with 1.21 million tons.

Due to its strong capacity-building, the latter producer's pellet production rose by a staggering 341.87% during the period.

The next biggest mineral output pertained to direct-reduced iron, posting a 14.95-million-ton output, which shows a 7.89% rise year-on-year. Mobarakeh had the lion�s share in this regard by producing 5.98 million tons, followed by Khouzestan Steel Company with 3.39 million tons, Hormozgan Steel Company with 1.17 million tons, South Kaveh Steel Company with 1.04 million tons, Saba Steel Complex with 960,663 tons, Khorasan Steel Company with 951,534, Ghadir Iron and Steel Company with 794,150 tons and Middle East Mines and Mining Industries Development Holding Company with 794,150 tons.

The latter producer, again, topped the growth chart with a 117.95% rise in direct-reduced iron output. Hormozgan Steel Company was the only company on the list whose production shrank during the period under review.

Iran is currently the world�s largest DRI producer. Also called sponge iron, DRI is produced from the direct reduction of iron ore (in the form of lumps, pellets or fines) to iron by a reducing gas or elementary carbon produced from natural gas or coal.

> Steel Sector

Crude steel production came next. Iranian steel mills produced 13.18 million tons of slabs, blooms, billets and ingots during the 11 months, up 3.27% year-on-year.

Mobarakeh was at the forefront with 6.77 million tons. Khouzestan Steel Company was next with 3.3 million tons, followed by Esfahan Steel Company with 2.05 million tons, Khorasan Steel Company with 600,716 tons, Iran Alloy Steel Company with 362,357 tons and Iran National Steel Industries Group with 90,524 tons.

Esfahan Steel Company and Iran National Steel Industrial Group were the only producers posting negative growth.

Meanwhile, 9.17 million tons of steel products, including hot and cold-rolled coils, rebar, beams, pipes, wide and galvanized sheets were produced over the period, down 3.49% year-on-year. Mobarakeh and its subsidiary Saba Steel Complex had the largest share of production here with 5.12 million tons, followed by Esfahan Steel Company with 1.88 million tons, Oxin Steel Company with 570,949 tons, Khorasan Steel Company with 486,354 tons, Azarbaijan Steel Company with 264,498 tons, Iran Alloy Steel Company with 241,206 tons, Iran National Steel Industrial Group with 226,139 tons, Ahwaz Rolling and Pipe Mills Company with 205,228 tons and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Automotive Sheet Company with 154,785 tons.

Mobarakeh, Azarbaijan Steel Company and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Automotive Sheet Company were the only mills posting growth.

> Copper

Copper mines operated by National Copper Industries Company extracted 142.2 million tons of copper oxide ore during the 11-month period, indicating a 3.49% drop year-on-year.

Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex accounted for 65.9 million tons of the total amount, Sungun Copper Complex 46 million tons and Miduk Copper Mine 30.18 million tons. With the exception of Sungun, all mines saw a decline in extraction.

The three mines� sulfide copper ore extraction, however, was up 9.50% to 44.6 million tons with all producers posting growth.

Copper concentrate was the main product manufactured in this sector. Output stood at 982.09 tons and recorded a 9.87% rise. It was followed by copper anode with 207,750 tons, down 2.91%; copper cathode with 173,004 tons, up 0.46%; and molybdenum with 36,729 tons, down 0.53%.

> Aluminum, Lead & Zinc

Iran�s three major aluminum producers produced 269,915 tons of aluminum ingots during the 11 months to register a 1.03% decline year-on-year.

Iran Aluminum Company produced 124,912 tons, Hormozal Aluminum Company 89,090 tons and Almahdi Aluminum Company 55,973 tons.

IRALCO�s alumina powder production was down 3.73% to 215,209 tons.

Major Iranian lead and zinc producers extracted 843,221 tons of ore during the 11 months. Angouran Lead and Zinc Complex accounted for 817,185 tons of the figure and Nakhlak Lead and Zinc Plant 26,036 tons.