Iran Develops New Technology to Process Lead, Zinc Ores

Iranian experts developed a new technology to process lead and zinc ores, using pyrometallurgy method.

"The veteran and elite industrialists of Iran have recently designed and innovated a new way to process and condense the low-grade ores in the country's lead and zinc mines," Head of the union to export lead and zinc industries and mines' products Hassan Hosseinqoli said on Monday.

He added that the technology uses pyrometallurgy method to process and condensate low-grade lead and zinc ores.

Hosseinqoli explaind that the Iranian experts can even process the 4%-grade lead and zinc ores with 80% to 90% efficiency and density.

Iran exports zinc ingots to 14 countries worldwide.

"Iran’s Zinc is bought with a higher price than the global one," Managing Director of Iran's Zinc Mines Development Company Ardeshir Saad Mohammadi said in 2017.

He reiterated that the deals for more than 76,000 tons out of 80,000 tons of last year’s production was signed and the rest would be changed into Zinc powder.

"More than 90 percent of Iranian zinc ingot has found its way to markets in 14 countries," Saad Mohammadi said.

A sum of 65,000 tons of Zinc ingot were produced in 2015 and the figure for 2016 showed a 22.5 percent growth.

Iran with 0.9 percent share in the zinc production ranks 11th in the world, and the 4th in Asia, according to the International Lead and Zinc Association.

source: FARS News Agency