Page 45 - IRANRptFeb19

9.1.9 Metallurgy & mining sector news
Iranian steel exports rose 5% y/y to 3.1bn tonnes in the first five months of the current Iranian year (March 21 to July 22), IRNA reported on September 16. Iran’s steel companies produce much of their output for local delivery, including to auto manufacturing and machinery production customers. Khuzestan Steel Company is Iran’s largest steel exporter. It accounted for one-third of steel exports from Iran in the five-month period.
The value of Iran’s steel exports in the 2017/2018 Persian year was €8.9bn. The figure forecast by the industry for the 2018/2019 year is €10.7bn. According to the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), more than 21.8mn tonnes of crude steel was produced in 2017/2018 Persian year.
IMIDRO said Iran ranked in 13th place for steel production among the 65 leading steel manufacturers around the world. Early last year, European steel lobby group Eurofer stepped up its complaints against Iranian steel exports that it said were becoming a threat to European producers.
Iran Minerals Production Company director Behrouz Borna has said Iran will soon reach a production level of eight tonnes of gold a year, Iran Student News Agency reported on August 15. The country, he added, has the potential to explore 1,000 tonnes of gold deposits.
Assessed proven reserves of gold in Iran's mines currently stand at 250 tonnes. They are being mined by private, public and foreign investors.
"The Geological Organization of Iran has discovered more than 1,000 promising zones for gold of which we have explored 100 zones," Borna reportedly said, adding that there were at least “16 gold regions to explore in the country.” "According to the discovery results of these 100 zones, in 21 provinces the existence of gold for mining has been proven, and 12 have reached the certification of mining and exploration phase," he added.
"There are currently 24 active gold mines in the country with fixed reserves of 250 tonnes, and their probable reserves are 340 tonnes," he said.
Zarshuran mine has the country's largest gold reserves. It can produce three tonnes of gold per year. After Zarshuran, Sarigoni mine, when completed, will become one of Iran's most significant locations for reserves. It is to target three tonnes of gold production by the end of the current Persian Year (ends mid-March, 2019). Iran is the 11th biggest producer of gold in Asia and ranks 43rd in the world for gold production.
9.1.10 Renewable energy sector news
Iran’s nominal electricity production capacity has reached 80,000 megawatts (MW), with several small and medium sized power plants having been brought online around the country in recent months, Tasnim News Agency has reported.
Like its predecessor Ahmadinejad administration, the Rouhani administration has supported the development of several different types of power generation models for the vast country of 80mn people through public-private partnership projects. Nuclear, gas, hydroelectric, solar and wind power have been the most popular choices in recent years.
According to the cited data, since the beginning of this year, Iran’s overall power capacity has increased by 1,005 MW.
During the summer months, the country endured successive power cuts throughout its national grid given massive use of air conditioning units amid
45 IRAN Country Report February 2019 www.intellinews.com