Iran's Deputy Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Jafar Sarqini said the country's mining sector will hit export value of US$9 billion to US$10 billion by March 2020, the end of Iran's calendar year, Tehran Times reported Dec. 25.

"Mines of Iran will not only meet the needs of the country's industrial plants and construction industry but will also export about [US$9 billion to US$10 billion] of minerals and other products by the end of the year," Sarqini said.

According to the ministry's data, the country exported 15.8 million tons of minerals and mining products worth US$3.9 billion in the first half of the current Iranian year, which was from March 21 to Sept. 22.

The data also showed that nearly 40% of the country's total export target for the mining sector was realized.

The country's top mining export products are steel ingot, iron ore, iron ore concentrate, steel products, cathode copper and rolled steel products.