IMIDRO Board Member: Achieving 13% Growth in Mining Sector Requires New Governance Models and Technological Development
A member of IMIDRO's Board of Directors, emphasizing that achieving the 13% growth target for the mining sector under the Seventh Development Plan requires changes in governance patterns and technological development, stated that the future of Iran's mining industry is tied to the integration of policymaking, innovation, investment, and value chain completion.
Seyed Abbas Hosseini added: This target is not merely a quantitative indicator, but rather reflects a new position defined for the mining sector in the country’s economy. According to him, realizing this goal necessitates transformation in decision-making methods, increased productivity, capital attraction, and extensive utilization of modern technologies across the mining and mineral industries value chain.
Emphasizing that the new approach in the mining sector must focus on creating greater added value, he added: It is no longer just about increasing production; rather, we must be able to generate more value from each ton of mineral material. Value chain development, integration of technology into production processes, and foresight in policymaking are among the actions that make achieving the Seventh Plan targets more realistic.
The IMIDRO Board member also considered innovation as an integral part of mining sector governance and said: The experience of successful countries shows that their competitive advantage is not limited to natural reserves, but is shaped by creating a cohesive network among policymaking, academia, industry, capital, and technology. In his view, the most important challenge today is translating the strategic issues of the mining sector into solvable problems for the innovation ecosystem.
Hosseini further pointed to the role of development organizations and stated: IMIDRO has played a significant role in developing infrastructure and implementing major mining projects in past years, but under new circumstances, it must act beyond a development organization and transform into an institution for directing investment, technological foresight, and value chain completion.
He also spoke about the role of the “IMINO” Innovation Center in this ecosystem, saying: IMINO can serve as the link between industry, academia, knowledge-based companies, and investors. According to Hosseini, the more cohesive the connection among the mining ecosystem’s stakeholders, the shorter the path from idea to technology and from technology to economic value.