BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 14. Iran’s
geological copper reserves have increased by 10.6% compared with
the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2026).


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.