Iron Ore Processing Plant Ready for Commissioning

Translated by Leila Imani

Jalalabad Iron Ore Concentrate Processing Plant of Zarand, Kerman province will be launched officially in a ceremony attended by high ranking state officials in the current Iranian year which has been named as the ‘Year of National Production, Supporting Iranian Capital and Labor’ by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Announcing the above, the manager of the project, Akbar Shiroieh, said on Tuesday that once operational the factory will save €190 million.
He added the pilot production phase of the plant have become operational, IRNA reported.
The project is among those approved during the provincial trip of the Cabinet to Kerman province, he said pointing out that the plant which is located 30 kilometers (km) northwest of Zarand, has been constructed in an area of 96,000 hectares, he said.
Shiroieh said the construction of the project began in January 2010.
He added the plant has the capacity to produce two million tons of iron ore concentrates with the purity degree of 68 percent, less than nine percent moisture and size of less than 44 micron.
He noted the project is ready to come on stream, adding the plant’s raw materials are being supplied from Jalalabad Iron Ore Mine located five kilometers from the plant.
Once the plant goes into operation, some 250 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs will be generated in the region.
He said 2.39 trillion rials ($239 million) plus €81 million were spent on the project which was entirely implemented by Iranian experts.
The official said some €117.50 million were allocated for the project, adding once the plan goes into operation the annual production capacity of the factory will increase from two million tons to four million tons.

Industrial Sector Needs More Fund

Translated by Leila Imani

Industries and mines sector will require some 200 trillion rials ($20 billion) and 300 trillion rials ($30 billion) of fixed and turnover capitals in the current Iranian year (started March 20), said industries, mines and trade minister.
Speaking in a conference to commemorate National Industry, Mine and Trade Day in Isfahan, Mehdi Ghazanfari said Isfahan province can provide a portion of the required financial resources through the sales of participation bonds and Sukuk, IRNA reported on Tuesday.
He noted that Mobarakeh Steel Complex and Isfahan Steel Company can help in this respect.
The minister said 100 trillion rials ($10 billion) of the required fund can be procured from National Development Fund (NDF), 50 trillion rials ($5 billion) from the Central Bank of Iran, 70 trillion rials ($7 billion) by selling the properties of the ministries and 130 trillion rials ($ 13 billion) from banking facilities.
Underlining the importance of reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues, he said domestic financial resources should be procured via the sale of non-oil commodities.
He noted that using people’s capabilities, capitals and potentials is the main strategy that should be adopted to overcome the effects of unilateral sanctions imposed on the country.
Ghazanfari said the ministry drew up 10 plans to neutralize the impact of international sanctions, adding the move will help turn them into opportunities.
He said non-oil exports development is a policy which should be adopted to increase the country’s hard currency revenues.

Tile Production Up

Iran produced more than 63.26 million square meters of tiles and ceramics during March-June 2012, showing a growth of 5.3 percent compared to the figure for the same period last year.