MNA � Kavous Ghasemi, General Director of Mines Bureau of Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, said on Wednesday that Iran enjoys a valuable reserve of mineral resources.


�Iran is among the top 4 countries of the world in the reservoir and production of decorative stones,� said Kavous Ghasemi, General Director of Mines Bureau of Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, on Wednesday in Ardabil.

The official asserted that Iran has noticeable reserves of mineral resources which have not been discovered and tapped yet. Ghasemi recounted that 50 new mineral material have been discovered in Iran and highlighted that the biggest part of Iran�s mineral needs are met with domestic production and there is no need for importing any raw mineral stone.

The official noted that mineral production has grown 5 percent in the last Iranian year in comparison with the year of 1394.

He also added that out of 9000 registered mines in Iran, 5700 are actively being tapped.

�Foreign investors are exploring Iran�s Eastern Azerbaijan Province in search for gold and copper while a gold mine in Kurdistan Province has been recently put into tapping,� said Kavous Ghasemi.