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Exports of iron ore concentrate have lately been prohibited by the Iranian authorities. "Considering the increase in Iran's crude steel output by 2.5 million metric tons this year and five million metric tons next year, our need for iron ore concentrate will increase by about 5-7 million metric tons per year, and therefore local iron ore concentrate production will be consumed totally by local plants," said Ahmad Ali Haratinik, chief of IMIDRO (Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization).
 
Iran exported about 10 million metric tons of iron ore in the last year Iranian year (ended March 20), mainly comprising of fines and lumps. Iran's main iron ore export market is China, with 90 percent of its total iron ore exports being supplied to this country. Iran does not officially release separate export data for iron ore concentrate.
 
In the last Iranian year, Iran produced approximately 25 million metric tons of iron ore (fines, lumps and concentrate).