According to the International Iranian Stone Exhibition, the importance of small mines is not hidden from anyone. Because these mines are widespread in the country, they can create jobs and prosperity for less developed areas.

However, many mining experts believe that the reserves of small mines will run out by 2050 and we will not have any small mines this year. To solve this problem, they emphasize the need to explore hidden resources. According to experts, the reserves of small mines will be depleted in the next 30 years, the question is whether we have been able to use the full capacity of small mines and whether, while these minerals are running out, something has been done to explore hidden reserves. Is.

 Large-scale mining upward trend

Alireza Shahidi, head of the Geological and Mineral Exploration Organization, said about the characteristics of small-scale mines: "The use of large manpower, especially in less developed areas, is one of the salient features of these mines." In fact, small mines can employ a lot of manpower due to their size and variety.

Expressing other positive features of this field, Shahidi said: with the activity of small-scale mines to meet the needs of local markets, the extent of production, low production costs and high number of stakeholders, the local economy has prospered and the role of these mines has doubled.

Shahidi continued: "Small-scale mines create 10 times more jobs than large-scale mines, consume less energy and produce less greenhouse gas."

All these cases have made these mines play an influential role in the sustainable development of less developed areas.

He went on to point out the depletion of small-scale mines by 2050: "Although the Geological Survey has not addressed the issue of small-scale mining development, it is responsible for monitoring minerals around the world."

Asked what to do with the depletion of small-scale mines, Shahidi said: "Exploration of hidden reserves is one of the issues that should be considered in the absence of small mines. Lack of balance between investment and exploration in the world, predicting a decrease in investment in The field of surface exploration and the rising cost of exploration and mining in the world have led to more attention to this issue.

He added: "Although the cost of exploring hidden reserves is very high, but given the large economic reserves, it should be considered.

The head of the Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization stressed the importance of paying attention to hidden reserves, saying: "Since small and medium-scale mining will be closed by 2050 and large-scale mining will be on the rise, it is expected to pay attention to the development of hidden resource exploration." 

Regarding the situation of hidden reserves, Shahidi said: "The forecast of demand for some minerals by 2026 shows that lead and zinc, copper, gold and uranium will have a growing trend." Thus, the production of gold will increase 5 times, copper 3 times, uranium 4 times, lead 2.5 times and zinc 3 times.

In response to the question about the situation of hidden reserves, Shahidi said: "Unfortunately, there is a vague situation of hidden reserves in Iran, because no serious measures have been taken in the country yet." Aerial geophysics and expert-based drilling contribute greatly to this. Certainly, considering the geological position of our country, it has world-class mineral reserves that we must seriously explore.

Hidden reserves remain unknown

Mohammad Baqer Dori, Deputy Director of Exploration of the Geological Survey of Minerals and Exploration, noting that the reserves of small mines will be depleted by 2050, said: "According to what has been achieved so far, the reserves of small mines will end by 2050 and In-depth exploration of payment.

In response to the question about the situation of hidden reserves for the development of deep exploration in the country, he said: "The hidden reserves of the country have remained really unknown and they are not properly supported."

"Unfortunately, the Geological Survey, as one of the custodians of underground exploration, is not well supported," he said. "Many provincial industry, mining and trade organizations are working for the Geological Survey on the pretext that only a few limited points can be studied." They do hard.

While the organization has to conduct additional studies in addition to its work on aerial geophysics, it faces 30 opponents. Indeed, there is still no understanding in the mining community that the exploration of the surface is different from that of the subsurface, and that space must be opened for responsible organizations.

"There are a lot of small mines in the country that are still abandoned and unused," Dori said. "If we look at most of the small mines that are left unused, we will find that most of the time the exploration of these mines is not finished." The important thing is that even many small mines can be the footprint of a large mine, while they are less considered in the country.

He stressed: "If we do additional work on the exploration of small mines, we will most likely come across large mines."

Asked about the importance of small mines, Dari said: "The importance of small mines has always been discussed in the country, but we have never paid attention to the fact that their exploration has not been completed." Because little scientific exploration and investment has been made in them, the subject matter has often been abandoned.

He stressed: "If we turn small mines into clusters and make full discoveries in them, we will definitely achieve good results." Exploration in small mines must be expanded to achieve the desired results.

"Many small mines are clues to large mines and show a trace of a mineral," Dari concluded. There are areas where the miner has worked and has not been able to continue operating due to lack of capital, knowledge and sufficient motivation, while the mine may have been a clue to a larger mine.

Closing remarks ...

Small mines play a key role in economic development due to lower costs and job creation assistance, while experts believe that the reserves of this type of mines will be depleted by 2050. To solve the problem caused by the closure of these mines, experts believe that hidden reserves should be considered, while the status of the country's hidden reserves is still unknown and no major steps have been taken in this area. Experts also emphasize that the capacity of small closed mines should be used and small closed mines should be activated, because small mines are sometimes the footprints of large mines and a large mine can be reached by deep explorations.