Iranian producers just ended a four-month period that witnessed a rise in aluminium ingot production of 49 per cent on the year according to just-released numbers from the Industry, Mining and Trade Ministry.

From March 20 through June 20, Iranian producers smelted 63 per cent more aluminium ingot this year than during the same period last year. Planners expect production to continue ratcheting up, forecasting a 63-per cent jump through the end of the Iranian year on March 20, 2021.

For the entirety of the prior Iranian year ending on March 21, Iranian smelters produced 275,716 tonnes of aluminium ingot, down by 8 per cent on the year. Iranian Aluminum Company (Iralco) led all producers over the course of the year thanks in part to a 4-per cent increase on the year. According to the country’s former mining minister, Iran’s $22-billion mining industry is essentially self-sufficient at present.

“The country’s capacities in the sector, saying that Iran is ranked 18th among the world’s top aluminium producers, and with this new plant going operational the country will climb four places to stand at 14th place,” he said at the opening of Iran’s newest and biggest aluminium plant earlier this year.

According to domestic media, the government is planning to push domestic aluminium production to 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum over the next five years. The country’s sole alumina refinery is owned by Iralco and is located in Jajarm, North Khorasan Province, and has a nameplate capacity of 250 thousand metric tonnes per annum.