In a speech in the northern city of Karaj on Tuesday, Rahmani said the total value of the products in the country’s mine industry amount to 22 billion dollars, of which $10bln is exported.
He added that during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (which began in March 2019), about $32 billion worth of non-oil goods have been exported to other countries.
The country’s revenues from mining should replace oil sales, the minister said, adding that renovation of mines is on the agenda of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade.
Iran has stepped up efforts in recent years to enhance its non-oil exports and reduce dependence on its oil revenues.