Mehdiabad Zinc and Lead Complex plans to increase its annual extraction capacity of barite to 400,000 metric tons by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2016), Eghtesad-News reported. According to the manager of the complex, Amin Safari, the figure is set to reach 500,000 tons by March 20, 2017. The mine, located in the central Yazd Province, is the biggest barite mine in the country with a reserve of 113 million tons. Last year, the mine managed to extract 320,000 tons of barite during an 8-month period. To increase the value added, a facility is scheduled to be built in the vicinity of the mine to process the minerals to be used in industries such as petrochemical, drilling, paper manufacturing, plastics, paints, and ceramics.
