Esfahan Revival Iron Ore Mines Company was recognized as a model mining unit in the country and received an appreciation plaque during the Industry and Mines Day ceremony. The event was attended by Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade; Mehdi Karbasian, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IMIDRO; Jafar Sarghini, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Industries; and other prominent figures in the country’s industrial and mining sectors.
Hadi Golzar, the CEO of Esfahan Revival Iron Ore Mines Company, stated on the sidelines of the ceremony that the company’s production has increased by over 30% this year, exceeding 4 million tons.
Due to this production increase, the company was honored as a model operator in the country. This achievement coincides with the commissioning of the company’s first concentrate production plant, which has a capacity of 900,000 tons.
Golzar also mentioned the construction of phases 2 and 3 of the concentrate production plant as future plans for the company. He stated that phases 2 and 3, with a capacity of one million tons, are among the company’s upcoming projects and are scheduled to be operational within the next five months.
Golzar pointed to the increased production of 5 million tons and said that by shifting from lump ore production to concentrate and pellet production, the company is seeing a rise in product quality, which will bring higher added value to the entire operation.
The Call for Infrastructure Improvement and Export Strategy
Golzar also called for the improvement of production infrastructure, stating that the lack of necessary infrastructure has led to an increase in the final production cost. He said that this requires the government to improve production infrastructure. Furthermore, the absence of a railway is another issue that contributes to higher production costs and reduced competitiveness. He expressed hope that with the help of the railway company, a rail line to the southern ports of the country would be constructed.
The CEO of Esfahan Revival Iron Ore Mines Development Company also pointed to the company’s export-oriented approach. Due to the difficulties in collecting payments from some steel companies, the company has shifted its production towards exports to secure funding. Currently, more than 50% of the company’s products are sold in export markets.
Regarding the barter of government royalties with the debts of some steel companies, Golzar said that based on an agreement with the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Trade, increased production would be contingent on selling to state-owned units and bartering the receivables from these units with the government royalties of the company. Unfortunately, since Isfahan Steel Company is not considered a state-owned company, the barter has not taken place. However, through meetings with Isfahan Steel’s management, part of the receivables has been collected, and the company is working to receive the rest.
He also mentioned the ongoing issues with the Sangan municipality. Over the past year, the company has faced problems with the local municipality due to illegal demands for urban service fees and the seizure of some equipment and machinery that directly affect production. Unfortunately, despite clear legal provisions and the emphasis of officials and the Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade, the company’s machinery remains impounded by the municipality, and the company is working to assert its rights through legal channels.
He added that in the last few days, the municipality, citing the 120-day winds and the creation of dust, has again shut down some of the iron ore production units. He described this action as lacking legal or technical basis and being more of an excuse, as the high density of iron ore makes the claim of creating dust and fine particles through the wind scientifically and technically unjustifiable.
