German firm to design chemical plant in E.Azarbaijan

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA - Deputy Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Mehdi Karbasian signed a contract with German Auto Tech Company to create a basic design of a nepheline syenite plant in Sarab (E.Azarbaijan province). Karbasian made the statement in the ceremony to sign the contract on Saturday, adding that the deal worth €9.3m will accelerate the province’s development and create an economic boom. “The project will help transfer the required technology,” he said. “With the completion of the project, the province will be able to annually produce 200,000 tons of alumina powder.” Karbasian added that currently an alumina plant in Jajrom, North Khorasan province, annually produces over 200,000 tons of the product while demand for the annual raw material amounts to 800,000 tons. He noted that production of each ton of aluminum ingot requires two tons of alumina powder. Karbasian added that the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and renovation Organization has spent $20.31m to establish the project’s infrastructures. “Once the project is completed, the plant will produce 150,000 tons of industrial salt and up to 3.5m tons of cement,” he said. Karbasian said the plant is expected to be established in eight months, which will generate 2,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs.