Iran produces rare-earth elements on an experimental scale.
In February 2016, the National Research Center for Minerals located in Alborz Province produced samples containing cerium oxide, lanthanum oxide, mischmetal (a combination of light rare-earth elements), neodymium oxide, praseodymium oxide and yttrium oxide, according to a recent report by the US Geological Survey on Iran’s nonfuel minerals.
In April 2016, plans were announced to begin extracting rare-earth elements as byproducts of uranium mining.
Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation, the country’s largest state-owned mining holding company, began exploration for rare-earth elements and the identification of potential targets in 2014 to attract foreign investment and technology for rare-earths processing in Iran.
Identified deposits with rare-earth mineralization include low-thorium hydrothermal monazite associated with iron oxide-apatite deposits in the Bafq mining district of central Iran, monazite associated with a heavy-mineral placer deposit in Marvast, southern Yazd Province, and apatite in the Esfordi, Gazestan, Lakeh-Siah and Zarigan deposits of Posht-e-Badam Block in central Iran.
