Iran ups iron ore production

Iran’s iron ore production in the first five months of the current Iranian year (started March 21) exceeded 14.1 million tons, showing a 6 percent growth compared with the corresponding period in the last year, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) announced. “Iran produced a total of 14.189 million tons of iron ore during March 21-August 21 period,” an IMIDRO report said on Saturday. Last year, Iran discovered huge reserves of high-quality Iron ore in the country's Central Lut desert. Iran ranks third in Asia and 11th in the world in terms of iron reserves. Iran is among the 15 major mineral-rich countries and exports its industrial and mineral products to 159 countries, including Iraq, China, the United Arab Emirates, India and Afghanistan.