Navid Hosseini; Mehran Gholinejad
2nd Mining and Related Science Region Conference, Tabas University, Tabas, Iran, pp. 53 – 72
Publication year: 2005

Development of different industries and the ever increasing need to the minerals particularly industrial minerals from one point of view and the ore grade reduction along with their complexity are the main causes of global priority and importance of mineral processing. Also, increase in efficiency, capital and man power, production of different high grade processed minerals, job generative opportunities, the increase of exploitable reserves, and increase in added value are the other prime importance of mineral processing in developing countries. The mineral processing sector targets not only is achieved in a short range of two to five years investment period comparatively with other mining sectors such as exploration and exploitation, but also these processed minerals have higher prices than the raw material in the world trade market (five to ten times). By consideration of these aforesaid facts, the governments have paid special attention to the mineral processing sector in their planning economical structure. In such a cases, Job opportunities increases due to forging currency lose prevention which consequently unemployed problem of society will be solved in a Short period of time. Although Iran is richen with a vast varieties of mineral reserves (because of its geological specification) but, unfortunately the share of such natural wealth in gross national product (G.N.P) is almost three per cent only. One of the main reasons could be the sales of unprocessed raw materials and hence no added values due to non-application of mineral processing technology. In this paper, by considering the above facts, the fundamental structure of mineral processing sectors in Iran are studied. In this connection, the development strategy processing of minerals is discussed. Based on different parameters such as: domestic needs, suitable deposits, added value, and industrial uses, processing of about twenty minerals are suggested.