Press TV reported that Iran aluminum and alumina exports have exceeded USD 267 million in the first 7 months of the current Iranian year.

According to the Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization, the figure indicates a 32% increase over the corresponding figure last year. The country's exports of aluminum ingot and alumina powder reached USD 201 million during the same period last year.

Iran is ranked among the 15 major mineral rich countries of the world and exports its industrial and mineral products to 159 countries including Iraq, China, the United Arab Emirates, India and Afghanistan.

Earlier, Mr Behrouz Borna deputy head of Iran's Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization said that Iran ranks first in the Middle East for possessing the region's largest mineral reserves.

The important mines of Iran include coal, metallic minerals, sand and gravel, chemical minerals and salt. Iran has the world's largest zinc and second largest copper deposits and ranks ninth for its iron reserves.

(Sourced from Presstv.com)