According to the International Iranian Stone Exhibition, yes, this is Assaluyeh, Iran's mineral, and as the fourth largest holder of active mines, it has more than six hundred and fifty mines with an annual extraction of more than nineteen million tons of fifty types of minerals and more than twelve thousand people. They eat directly from these mines.

South Khorasan province is one of the most important mineral provinces in the country in terms of diversity and amount of mineral reserves. The province has 650 mines with a definite reserve of 2.5 billion tons and an annual extraction of 19.5 million tons.

There are fifty known minerals in the province and coal, magnesite, industrial soils and bentonite, chromite, decorative stones, iron ore, dolomite, endolusite, marble, basalt, gold and copper, lead and zinc are its most important minerals. . The province ranks fourth in terms of active mines, fourth in terms of employment and seventh in terms of reserves.

Identification of 200 promising mineral points in South Khorasan

According to Abbas Jorjani, head of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of South Khorasan, the study of exploration zones in South Khorasan began in 1392 and its implementation began in 1394, as a result of which 200 promising mineral points with an area of ​​more than twenty thousand Square kilometers have been identified as a result of studies of exploration zones in this province.

But how were they identified? The zones were defined in order to reduce investment risk, increase the capacity of the private sector and identify the province's mineral potentials and were developed by a number of government-owned development organizations, such as the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration Organization, Iran Mines and Mineral Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). And Iran Minerals Production Company was also done by the private sector.

According to Jorjani, as a result of this work, about twenty thousand square kilometers of promising points have been identified, which will be about two hundred points; Based on these promising points, the companies will continue the exploration work, and as soon as the exploration license is obtained and what mineral is found, the transfer will be done through an auction.

He mentioned the performance of aerial geophysics as a very good work since 1392 in South Khorasan province and added: The identification of mineral potentials in the depths of the earth was done by helicopter, and the promising points have been identified based on these results; South Khorasan is one of the provinces where most aerial geophysics has been done.

The head of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of South Khorasan added: In 1396, 1397 and 1398, when the most exploration zones of the province were observed, equivalent to one hundred and fifty billion tomans in this field has been done by the public and private sectors, which is a place of hope.

 The need to assign stagnant mining areas and hand them over to new investors through auctions

The head of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of South Khorasan stressed the need to determine the task of stagnant mining areas and hand them over to new investors through auctions, and said: "Mining areas, whether in the form of exploitation licenses or exploration areas that are practically stagnant, should be assigned." 

Jorjani specified: with the approval of the Provincial Council of Mines, it was decided that the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization should prepare a complete report in this field within a maximum of one month. Based on this, it was decided to help those whose continuation of activities is justified from the organization's point of view, and those who we know do not want to continue mining activities to be assigned more quickly to provide the areas to new people through auctions.

The head of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of South Khorasan stressed the need to use the capacity of students and university professors to meet the research needs of industry and mining and said: National Plan for Empowerment of Production and Development of Sustainable Employment (TOP), with the aim of registration Industrial, mining and commercial facilities as well as recording their research and technological needs have been launched by the Ministry of Silence.

He continued by stating that the TOP project has been launched with the aim of deepening and improving the relationship between industry and the university. In order to strengthen the relationship between industry and the university, it is necessary for the private sector and organizations related to industry and mining to increase their relationship with the university. Researchers should strengthen and use this existing capacity in the province as well as the top system in order to meet their needs.

The head of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of South Khorasan stated: It is necessary to explain and explain the goals and benefits of this project in a completely transparent way for economic enterprises active in the field of industry, mining and trade. Graduate students from the capabilities of military graduates And benefit university faculty members.

Jorjani described the field visits of professors and students to industrial and mining units as effective in this regard and added: "We are ready to plan field visits to industrial and mining units, using the guidelines of professors, to strengthen the relationship between industry and industry." And let's go with the university.

One month deadline for the Ministry of Industry to determine the task of frozen mining areas

Mushir al-Haq Abedi, Deputy Governor of South Khorasan for Economic Affairs Coordination, recently stated in the Provincial Mines Council, referring to the President's order and the relevant circular on determining the assignment of mining zones: And the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of the province is obliged to implement the provisions of this circular as soon as possible.

He added: "The expectation of the Mines Council is the efforts of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization in implementing this program as the custodian." In doing so, while helping investors whose continued operations are economically justified, undecided mining areas will be auctioned off to be exploited.

According to Abedi, with the efforts of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization and, of course, in accordance with the law and through holding auctions within a certain period of time, promising areas for exploitation and profit will be assigned to the applicants.

The Deputy Governor of South Khorasan for Economic Affairs Coordination reminded: "Scoring for the defined areas based on the mineral capacity and the added value that it brings, clarifies the task of the applicants, so that the investor can participate in the based on his assets." Auction and invest in a mining unit.

Abedi pointed to the desirable capacity of the province in the field of precious and semi-precious stones and said: the governor of South Khorasan, many times in various meetings and meetings have emphasized the optimal use of the capacity of the province's gemstones.

He continued: During the presence of the head of the technical and professional organization of the country regarding the establishment of the department of precious stones in the province, suggestions were made that in order to better result of this project, the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of the current situation, reserves and investment potential , Prepare a complete report. Using the information in this report, it is possible to plan for the creation of gemstone processing units.

Mohammad Shafiei, the governor of Khosf, stated that the city of Khosf has thirty-seven mines, which has been named as the center of mines in South Khorasan. He said: By attracting local and non-local investors and setting up processing plants, mineral revenues and profits can be Multiplied several times.

Children's gold mine of golden treasures of Khosf city in South Khorasan

He pointed to the existence of five gold mines in the city and said: the establishment of processing factories in the children's gold mines, Shadan and Qaleh Zari mine is underway.

He announced the investment in Shadan gold mine with more than two thousand billion Rials with a mineral reserve of 27 million tons and said: the supply of land for the processing plant of this mine is underway and by launching it for three hundred people directly and seven hundred people to Indirectly, jobs are created.

The governor of Khosf, stating that Shadan mine is one of the largest mines in the east of the country in terms of reserves, whose gold richness is 0.55 ppm, clarified: Children's gold mine is another golden treasure of Khosf city, which is in the process of setting up a processing plant and gold mining. It is being done in this mine, which will directly create employment for one hundred and fifty people by launching them. The credit of this project is two hundred and ninety-six billion Rials and according to the fifty percent progress of the work and according to the schedule of the children's gold processing factory, it will be put into operation by the end of the year.

He stated that the exploitation license of Khonik gold mine is being issued and its reserves are five hundred and eight thousand tons, adding: Mehrabad ores gold mine also has six hundred and ninety eight tons of reserves.

The governor of Khosf, referring to the mining capacities of Khosf city, announced the preparation of Qala-e-Zari copper mine development plan as the largest underground mine in the Middle East and said: with the launch of Qala-e-Zari mine development plan with a credit of one hundred and twenty billion tomans for one hundred and fifty people It directly creates employment. We hope that the executive operation of the second concentrate plant of Qaleh Zari mine will be put into operation in the next eighteen months in order to increase the employment capacity of the city.

The governor of Khosf pointed to the existence of the largest dolomite mine in the Middle East in the city of Khosf and continued: the extraction work of this mine has also started.

Criticizing some strictures on investors, he said: "Considering the rich mineral and natural capacities of South Khorasan, if the licensing process in the province becomes easier, the amount of investment will double."

Governor Khosaf continued: this city has very good reserves and has the first rank of metal minerals in the province.

Criticizing the view of some agencies on public and private sector mines, he said: "The licenses of some public mines are obtained in the shortest time, but private sector investors face many difficulties in obtaining licenses, and this causes private sector investors to flee."

Establishment of the National Department of Mines and Clusters in South Khorasan

Ali Awsat Hashemi, Deputy Minister of Labor and Head of the Technical and Vocational Education Organization, also promised during his recent visit to South Khorasan to establish a National Department of Mines and Clusters in South Khorasan to play a national role. In addition to improving living standards, income and productivity within the province, South Khorasan can be a branch in creating new opportunities for people looking for work in Iran.

* ISNA