Iran’s total copper anode production in the first eight months (Mar 20-Nov 20, 2020) of the Iranian calendar rose by 16pc to 235,379mt from the prior-year period, according to media reports citing data by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (Imidro).
In the eighth months of the Iranian calendar (Oct 22-Nov 20, 2020) the country’s copper anode output stood at 30,287mt, up by 44pc as compared to the same month in the preceding year.
The increase in the copper output in the 8-month period was driven by the inauguration of new copper production facilities in the current year.
Four development projects worth IRR40tn ($952.3mn) were inaugurated in the copper sector of Kerman Province in May. The projects, located at the Khatoon Abad Copper Complex, included a smelter to increase the capacity at the complex apart from a copper concentrate storage facility, construction of a sulfuric acid production plant, and an oxygen supplying unit.
The complex’s capacity for producing copper anode rose by 50pc to 120,000mt after the first project became operational.
It also increased Iran’s annual copper smelting capacity to 400,000mt.
Despite sanctions imposed by the United States, Iran’s copper exports have doubled to reach over $1bn in the past Iranian year.