Iran's Geological Copper Reserves Rise 10.6%
According to the National Iranian Copper Industries Company (NICICO), the company CEO Seyed Mostafa Feiz made the announcement.
"At the beginning of the current Iranian year, Iran's geological copper reserves stood at 22.2 billion tons. They have now increased to 24.5 billion tons," he said.
The company official added that exploration activities had accelerated during the period from March 21 to Aug. 22, 2026. More than 198,000 meters of exploration work was carried out during the period, accounting for 40% of the 500,000-meter target set for the current Iranian year (March 21, 2026 to March 20, 2027).
Feiz said the company's mineable copper reserves had risen to 18.2 billion tons by the end of the period, compared with 16.8 billion tons at the beginning of the year, representing an 8% increase.
He added that the Miduk copper mine accounted for a significant share of the increase. Its mineable reserves rose 123%, from 793 million tons to 1.77 billion tons. At the same time, its geological reserves increased 186% to 2.88 billion tons.
According to the company official, the mineable reserves of the Sarcheshmeh copper mine stand at 7.7 billion tons, and the mine's operating life has been extended through 2050. Its proven reserves exceed 4.5 billion tons. "As exploration activities increased during the period, mineral extraction also accelerated. Production rose 4% compared with the same period last year, reaching 153 million tons," he said.
According to Trend 's analysis, the 10.6% increase in Iran's geological copper reserves to 24.5 billion tons points to a significant expansion of the country's raw-material base for the mining industry. Completing 40% of the annual exploration target during the period also creates potential for further growth in reserves. The sharp increases at the Miduk deposit - 123% in mineable reserves and 186% in geological reserves - are particularly notable. Meanwhile, the 4% increase in copper production to 153 million tons indicates that production capacity is expanding alongside exploration activity. This trend could strengthen Iran's long-term copper production potential and create additional opportunities for processing and exports.
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