list of Iran’s lead mines

list of Iran’s lead mines

List of Iranian lead mines: One of the most important and valuable metals is lead metal , which is used in various industries. This metal plays an essential role in the economic structure of each country for the production and completion of various industrial products. Lead and zinc have always been mixed in nature and have common embedded rocks.

Lead is a strategic metal. Because most urban and military activities rely on energy stored in lead-acid batteries. The largest exporters of lead in the world are China , Australia , USA , Russia , Mexico and India . Iran also has several lead mines, which we will examine in this section.

Iran’s lead mines :

• chah Kharbozeh mine
• Mehdi Abad lead and zinc mine
• Mansour Abad Mine
• Farah Abad mine
• Darreh zanjir Mine
• Angouran Mine
• Emarat lead and zinc mine
• Lakan lead and zinc mine
• Irankooh lead and zinc mine
• Nakhlak mine
• Tekiyeh Lead and zinc mine
• Anjireh – vejin lead and zinc mine
• Kouh Sormeh Lead mine
• Shahin lead and zinc mine
• Ahangaran lead and silver mine
• Nemar lead and zinc mine
• Goushfil lead and zinc mine
• Koushk Lead and zinc mine
• Lead and zinc mine of Saleh Peighambar

Chah Kharbozeh mine

Chah Kharbozeh mine is located 30 km northeast of Anarak city in Isfahan province of Iran. The old mineral chah Kharbozeh mine on the way from Jandagh to Anarak, after passing through the shepherds and before the cat well, has a longitude of 54/9/45 and a latitude of 33/28/21 degrees.

Chah Kharbozeh mine lead mine dates back to the Qajar period. The report on the assessment of Iran’s mineral capacity and reserves in 1998 mentioned the existence of a gold mine in this region. Of course, this mine is currently inactive.

Mehdi Abad mine

Mehdi Abad lead, zinc and barite mining complex with significant reserves is one of the largest lead mines in Iran and the world , which is known as a large mine according to the Mining Law and its exploitation license is called the Organization for Development and Renovation of Mines and Mining Industries.

Iran (Imidro). Based on this and according to the plans made, the construction of zinc concentrate processing factories along with by-products (lead and silver concentrate) as well as equipping and tailing the mine is on the agenda.

At the same time, in parallel with the above measures, the extraction of minerals and the sale of the following products are underway.

• Buy Zinc Oxide
• Buy Zinc Sulfate
• Buy calamine
• Buy barite

Geographical location of Mehdi Abad Mining Complex

Lead-zinc deposit, Mehdi Abad are 115 kilometers southeast of the city of Yazd  is located .

History of Mehdi Abad Mine ( Iran’s lead mines )

The first exploration activity in Mehdi Abad mine was carried out in 1329, which led to the exploitation of the calamine mine underground, and by 1337, about 15,000 tons of calamine ore with a grade of 35% was extracted, and after calcination and reaching a grade of 45%. Exported abroad . After that, a total of about 57,000 meters of exploratory drilling has been done in 215 wells in Mehdi Abad mine

In 1372, in order to access the deposit of the central part, which is a sulfide deposit and is located at a depth of 150 meters, a well was drilled to a depth of 324 meters with a circular cross section with an initial diameter of 4.5 meters.

However, due to the high costs of underground mining and also the completion of explorations in the Central Plain and the justification of open pit mining in Mehdi Abad deposit, the activity in this sector was closed in 2003 and now the mine water is supplied from this sector

In 2005, the Ministry of Industries and Mines issued the exploitation license for the Mehdi Abad lead, zinc and barite mine, which is now the exploitation license of this mine under the name of Iran Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization.

Accordingly, in 2006, mining operations, extraction and sale of minerals began and continues to this day, according to the plans made for the construction of zinc ingot factories in Iran , zinc concentrate and barite processing in the future will witness processing And we will create significant added value in Mehdi Abad Mining Complex

Geology of Mehdi Abad deposit

Three geological formations in Mehdi Abad deposit can be separated. These formations include Sangestan, Taft and Abkooh formations in terms of geological age from old to new,  respectively

Mineralization in Mehdi Abad deposit in carbonate-dolomitic rocks of Taft Formation has occurred in the Lower Cretaceous. There are 9 important and recognizable faults in the region, the most influential and important of which is the Black Hill fault in the west of the deposit

Sulfide minerals in Mehdi Abad deposit include sphalerite, galena and barite along with small amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite and chalcocite . Oxide minerals in this deposit include Smith Zonite, Hydrosensite, Hemorphite and Serosite, and tailings minerals include anchorite, calcite, dolomite, limonite, hematite and clay minerals.

Mehdi Abad mine reserves

A ) Lead and zinc mine

In 2016, Koosha Mining Consulting Engineers Company reviewed the economic reserve estimate of Mehdi Abad deposit and designed its optimal peat. The company has 716 million tons of geological reserves and 154 million tons of extractable reserves. The main pit of the mine will have dimensions of 1903 meters in length, 1433 meters in width and 340 meters in depth

B ) Barite mine

In 1392 decided to go back to the deposit of barite and modified operational plan barite were accordingly now typically mine land with design and estimate economic reserves ore Mehdi Abad, Reserve Barite BaSO4  to 124 million tonnes announced

C ) Calamine mine

Extractive mining activities began in the northwest of Mehdi Abad deposit in early 2010 with the aim of extracting 1,849,200 tons of minerals with an average grade of 18 to 20%, but with the completion of explorations and more detailed study of the actual reserves per year 1391 by Zamin Mining Company, the amount of calamine storage was estimated at 322 thousand tons with a grade of 9.5 percent zinc, which was practically impossible to continue working economically in this sector

Finally, in September 2013, this mine was closed and activities continued in the central part of the deposit. However, during the activities carried out in the Kalamine mine, about 210,000 tons of minerals with an average grade of 10% zinc were extracted by tailing 2281625 cubic meters

Mansour Abad Mine

Mansour Abad lead and zinc mine is located one hundred kilometers southwest of Yazd-Shiraz. This mine is located in a mountainous area and its altitude is about 2500 meters above sea level. Mansour Abad mine was built in 1978 to produce lead and zinc concentrates with a capacity of 300 tons of feed per day.

In 1375, the factory was reconstructed by Faravaran Mineral Engineering Company and in 1392, with the implementation of the development plan, its capacity increased to 500 tons per day.

In this mine, different classes have been exploited for many years. Materials containing lead and zinc in the early stages of development were formed as a result of changes that took place at the site and the effective factor in the formation of these materials was the penetration of solutions that flowed from the depths of the earth to the accumulation site due to high heat.

The mineral process is 20 to 45 degrees. Mineral units, which are mainly of the calamine type, are being explored and extracted in four floors by constructing two horizontal tunnels on the massif and a 100-meter-long tunnel that extends in a sloping manner. The mining road can be used all year round.

This mine, with its experienced experts and engineers, as well as mining machinery and equipment and equipped laboratory, operates in the following fields :

• Production of lead, zinc and copper concentrate
• Processing ( mineralization ) of various minerals on an industrial scale
• Mineralization services on laboratory and semi-industrial scales
• Design, construction and installation of mineral processing plants
• Engineering services in the field of exploration and mining
• Engineering services in feasibility studies of mineral reserves
• Laboratory services for the chemical decomposition of minerals
• Preparation of industrial and mining exploitation plans
• Contract management services for various mining projects and mining industries

Farah Abad lead and zinc mine

Farah Abad lead and zinc mine is located sixty kilometers southwest of Yazd on the Yazd-Shiraz road after Ali Abad village. This mine is located in a mountainous area and its altitude is about 3000 meters above sea level. Exploration work in Farah Abad mine has started since 1348, and the effects of intense exploration can be seen in four different places.

Subsequent explorations in this mine have been carried out based on intensive work and have continued by digging tunnels in different horizons. The mineral is mainly lead in the form of galena minerals and has a lower percentage of minerals on zinc. Extraction from this mine by Sublevel Stopping method is currently underway.

Darreh zanjir lead and zinc mine

This mine is one of the oldest lead and zinc mines in Iran, which is located in Taft city, 20 km southwest of Yazd city. Mining activities in this mine have started since 1326. So far, several foreign companies from Japan, Yugoslavia and France have been active in the field of exploration and extraction of this mine

The mineral in the upper horizons is carbonate with a total grade of lead and zinc of about 15%. The mineral of the lower horizons is of the sulfur type.

Based on exploration activities, four new anomalies have been discovered in this area so far, which according to other geological evidence, there is a possibility of lead and zinc mineral up to 2.5 million tons in this mine

Angouran lead and zinc mine

Angouran lead and zinc mine and Angouran lead and zinc production plant is the largest producer of lead and zinc in Iran and the largest lead and zinc mine in the Middle East. Zinc Dandy is a Calcimine company.

Angouran lead and zinc mine is located in Mahneshan city, 135 km west of Zanjan city. The nearest village to the mine is Qaleh Jogh village with a population of 200 people and the nearest town to it is Dandi with a population of five thousand people. The main access road (Zanjan, Dandi, Madan) has a distance of about 120 km.

The temperature difference during the day and night, as well as between the cold and hot seasons at the mine site is large. The reserves of Angouran mine are eight million tons in the open sector and four million tons of high grade zinc in the underground sector.

Taking into account the annual extraction of one million tons of ore, the remaining life of Angouran mine will end in another 12 years. Angouran mine is one of the rare mines in the world in terms of high metal content. Angouran mine is one of the rare lead mines in Iran and the world in terms of high metal content.

Applications of lead metal :

• Standard weight
• mintage
• Sculpture
• Waterproof walls and lining
• Ornaments
• Anchoring
• Mehrization
• In the twentieth century, with the advent of automobiles, chemicals, and the automotive industry, the use of lead as a fuel softener additive, bearing and piping alloys, storage batteries, and chemical tools became widespread.
• Modern applications of this element include weaponry, glass production, sound insulation and radiation shielding in nuclear power plants.

Emarat lead and zinc mine

Emarat lead and zinc mine is one of the active mines in the country . The reserves located in it have been divided into several blocks based on the technical exploration activities carried out, which have been extracted from the east to the west based on their location and grade, and now work is being done on the remaining part, ie the east.

The mansion lead and zinc mine is located 46 km southwest of Arak city in Markazi province. In terms of geographical location, this mine is located at 49 degrees, 43 minutes and 26 seconds in longitude and 33 degrees and 42 minutes and 5 seconds in latitude and in an area of ​​2180 meters above sea level.

Access to the processing plant is possible through the Arak-Borujerd road. After 18 kilometers on the above road, it enters Shazand road and enters the village called Hafte Emarat and Kirk from the intersection of Ghadmagah. After a few kilometers, it enters the mine. Lead and zinc arrived

The mine is located in a temperate mountainous region with hot summers and cold winters. The annual temperature changes are very large and range from -20 degrees Celsius in winter to +35 degrees Celsius in summer

Geological units of Iran 

This deposit is located in Sanandaj zone of Sirjan. Sanandaj Sirjan zone has undergone many orogenic activities and forms a collection of metamorphic rocks including amphibolites and schists.

Save the mine

According to the exploration work and available reports, the reserve of this mine is estimated at about 10.5 million tons, which has a grade of about 7% , which is the largest lead and zinc mine in Iran after Angoran, and In terms of grade, it also has good conditions. Of course, Angoran lead and zinc mine is in a much better condition in terms of 25-30% grade

Extraction method

Today, this mine is mined underground, but in the past, it was mined both openly and underground. In this mine, engineers have taken a new initiative. Due to the properties of lime, they have opened a main ramp in lime and use the sub-level quilling method to extract the mineral

The mine has a main ramp, which is dug in the lower geological ridge, which is lime. The length of this ramp is currently about 800 meters.

The upper back is the geology of the schist deposit and due to the possibility of its collapse, less penetration has taken place inside it. This mine is self-sustaining and this great advantage has made it easier to operate equipment and extract materials in addition to no need for maintenance

Lakan lead and zinc mine

Lakan lead and zinc concentrate plant is located 1500 meters away from Lakan village (27 km southeast of Emarat mine).

After the depletion of Lakan lead and zinc reserves, which provided feed to the processing plant, in 1976, the exploitation of the mine’s reserves began with the construction of two underground extraction workshops No 1 and 2 and an open Mochan workshop.

The operation of the above workshops continued until 1985, when the operation of the Emarat mine was stopped due to the low selling price of lead and zinc concentrate and the depletion of reserves in the Mochan open pit mine.

In 1988, with the increase in the price of lead and zinc concentrate, a re-examination was started in order to resume the extraction from the Emarat mine, and finally the operation of the Emarat mine resumed in 1990.

From 1369 to 1374, the company continued its activities with the exploitation license of the Ministry of Mines and Metals, and from 1374 to 1382, the last 8-year exploitation license was obtained in the name of Shahin Mining and Industrial Company, and the contract was extended.

Irankooh lead and zinc mine – Isfahan

Irankooh lead and zinc mine is the third largest lead and zinc mine in Iran in Irankuh region, located 20 km southwest of Isfahan. This mine is one of the Mississippi Valley type deposits and Bama Company has carried out exploratory studies in 1331

The rocks surrounding Irankuh mine are mainly Cretaceous and Jurassic shale carbonates. Mineralization is mainly done in carbonate deposits and sulfide minerals in the area include spheralite, galena and pyrite. The reserve of this mine is equal to 700 thousand tons, its lead grade is 2.5% and its grade is 11%

Nakhlak lead mine

Nakhlak Mineral Complex is one of the lead mines in Iran. Nakhlak mine is located 140 km east of Nain and Anarak district. The history of exploitation of this mine is known to be 2,000 years. The history of setting up the processing plant of this mine dates back to 1330 and it can be named as the first mineral processing plant in Iran.

The definitive reserve of this mine is estimated at 850,000 tons and the annual production of this mine is 1250 tons of lead concentrate. This mine is becoming the first museum of mines in Iran and the executive operation of this work has started.

Tekiyeh Lead and zinc mine

Tekiyeh lead and zinc mine is located in Markazi province in Shazand city. This mine is located in the eastern side of Takiyeh village, 2 km away from Haft Emarat mine.

The distance of Tekiyeh village from Arak is about 50 km. Using high-grade mineral placement, extraction is done following the vessel. Zinc grade is about 35% in a 2 km long and 30 m wide siliceous band and is seen in the form of small veins 1 to 8 m long and 20 to 80 cm thick, and there is a possibility of zinc sulfide at greater depths

The mine’s reserves are estimated at about one million tons. The length of mineralization is about 900 meters and the thickness of the bands varies from 1 to 8 meters. The depth explored on the east side is about 40 meters and most of it has not been explored

The mineral grade is between 5 to 7% of lead and zinc, and in addition, it has high quality zinc ore at the intersection of faults. In the northern position, the mine is composed mostly of sulfur veins and in the southern bands, lead and zinc are mainly oxidized. The mine has established open workshops along the lead and zinc strips. The extraction method is open pit mineralization using drilling and firing and excavation separation

Anjireh-vejin lead and zinc mine

Anjireh-vejin Tiran mines are located 60 km west of Isfahan. The rock units in these mines have a low Cretaceous age (Upper Barmin-Albin). These rocks are located in three mines with a short distance from each other in the form of anticlines with a northwest-southeast trend called low weeding, high weeding and fig-chekab, whose axis is inclined to the southeast.

Anjireh mine is a relatively good lead and zinc mine that was worked on about 80 to 90 years ago but was closed for some reason.

This mine is located near Yazd and is one of the small mines. This mine is very rich, that is, it has a high grade and is located near the smelting company on Bafgh. In addition to underground mining, open pit mining is also planned. A suitable access road has also been constructed for this mine.

Kouh Sormeh Lead mine

Sormeh mining area is located 33 km south of Firoozabad city and 110 km south of Shiraz in Fars province (Farashband is located 164 km southwest of Shiraz).. Sormeh Mountain mine started its activity in 1975. The lead and zinc deposits of Sormeh Mountain are in the form of veins and with the type of Mississippi Valley, which includes minerals of sphalerite, galena, pyrite, anglesite, serosite and zinc oxides.

The annual extraction capacity of this mine is about 36,000 tons and the definitive reserve of the mine is 1200,000 tons of sulfur soil with a grade of 4% lead and 6% zinc.

More than 60% is ready and exported to foreign countries, mainly China. Kuh-e-Sormeh is currently the only lead and zinc metal mine in the south of the country, and with the activation of the third phase of the development plan, this company will become the largest producer of lead and zinc in the country. 

Shahin lead and zinc mine

Shahin lead and zinc mine is located in Markazi province, Shazand city, Qara Kahriz district, Qara Kahriz rural district, Kirk mine village. This mine was put into operation in 2009 and is still active.

Ahangaran lead and silver mine

Ahangaran mine is one of the active lead and silver mines in the country, which is located in the lead and zinc metallurgy zone of the western part of Iran and the southeast of Hamedan province and 23 km east of Malayer city and the approximate area of ​​the mine is 29.25 square kilometers.

Mineralogy studies in different sections of blacksmiths show different sulfide and oxide zones with the main ores of galena, cerocite, chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite, hematite, goethite and other sub-ores.

This mine is very old. As written in 1335, mining activity is certain and the basic works before Islam, which is known as hard work, can be seen in abundance in the mine. Flotation factory was started in 1349 and has been set up in 1351. The factory is located downstream of the mine and at a distance of 2 to 3 km from the mine

Extraction in Ahangaran lead and iron mine ( Iran’s lead mines )

Lead has been mined in Ahangaran mine since 1335. Currently, extraction from this mine is done underground and the average extraction grade is 10% lead and 200 grams per ton of silver

Iron is extracted in the mine by open method and mineralization. The height of the stairs is about 15 meters. Iron ore grade is about 40% pure iron. Iron ore does not have tailings, but iron ore extraction is done in a classic way, including drilling and firing

Nemar lead and zinc mine

Lead and zinc mine in Nemarstagh, Larijan, Amol was established in 1347. The mine, whose activities were canceled in 1953, once again received a lead exploitation and exploration license in 1993 under the name of Zanjan Pure Sazan Industries Company.

Goushfil lead and zinc mine

Goushfil mine is located 3 km west of Sepahan city in the south of Isfahan. Goushfil mine, which is the main supplier of sulfur mineral to factories with a depth of 250 meters, is known as the deepest open pit mine in Iran.

Extraction operations have been carried out in the open for the past thirty years and in order to extract about 2 million tons of remaining minerals, for the first time in Iran, a mechanized underground extraction project by Sublevel Stoping method has been presented and is being implemented in 2006.

In order to evaluate the effects of Goushfil mining, processing and transportation operations on the environment of the surrounding areas, especially Sepahan Shahr, several samples were taken with special attention to the elements lead, zinc and cadmium at different distances and depths.

Statistical analysis of samples using winsurf software shows that the amount of zinc, lead and cadmium is low near the city of Sepahan, but the concentration of these elements increases from the city to the mine.

 IMM is exporter of Lead and exporter of zinc in iran. 

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