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The first phase of Iran’s state-owned USD 1 bn Mehdiabad lead, zinc and barite mine complex is in its final stages of construction, Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday. The mine will produce 800k tons of zinc concentrate and 80k tons of lead-silver concentrate — two crucial components needed in battery manufacturing. The first phase cost USD 300 mn and a scheduled date for operational launch was not disclosed.
About the complex: The complex is home to 700 mn tons of lead and zinc reserves, about 170 mn tons of which are extractable, making it the second largest reserve in the world and the largest lead and zinc processing factory in the region, the news outlet said, citing mine director Hamid Hemayat.
The complex will be getting its water from the Yazd Wastewater Treatment Plant: Iran’s largest wastewater conveyance project will supply water to the Mehdiabad plant through a 100 km pipeline from Yazd Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hemayat told the news outlet.
REMEMBER- Zinc and lead are critical minerals for the energy transition: While commercial EV batteries are lithium based, research has recently been taking place into redox flow batteries, of which zinc-bromide is a component. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, zinc-based batteries have low flammability and high energy densities (i.e longer runtime), according to Australia’s geoscience agency. Those advantages have led to the development of zinc-air, zinc-nickel, zinc-silver, zinc-water, and zinc-gel batteries. Disadvantages of zinc batteries include difficulties in recharging, high costs, and lower power output (zinc-gel). 80% of global lead demand comes from EV battery manufacturing.
IN OTHER MINING NEWS- A nickel mine in Oman could be among the world’s largest: The Omani nickel-laterite mine recently awarded to UK-based strategic minerals miner Knights Bay for development could be among the world’s largest, Oman Daily Observer reported last week. Covering an area of 1.4k square kilometers in the Wilayat of Ibra in North Al Sharqiyah governorate, the mine reportedly holds deposits of other strategic minerals including cobalt, chrome, and iron ore. Knights Bay is planning a full production capacity of 200k tons per annum beginning from 2030 and is in talks with several investors to fund the rest of the project to the tune of around USD 5.5 bn, Director of Investor Relations Max Beck told the news outlet.
