Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎53v] (106/320)

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( 86 )
Letter from the British Legation, to the Department of Overseas Trade,
No. (B) 175 dated the 20th October 1937.
I have the honour to transmit to you herewith five copies of a brief translation
of a series of articles published in “ Le Journal de Teheran ” in its issues from 30th f*
September to 14th October under the heading of “ Les Mines de ITran ”.
2. A copy of this despatch is being sent to the Secretary to the Oovernment
of India in the External Affairs Department at New Delhi under No. C. 8, and the
Commercial Secretary, British Embassy at Baghdad under No. C-12, of today.
Enclosure to Serial No. (86).
Brief recapitulation of articles published in “ Le Journal de Teheran ”
from 30th September to 14th October 1937 on “ Les Mines de VIran
From information obtained from geological and mineralogical studies and
prospecting it may be affirmed that Iran disposes of mines comprising ores, coal,
salt, sulphur, granite, oil, mineral waters, etc.
1. Gold .—Gold is found in Iran in three forms.
(a) pure in alluvial ground and in sediment of certain rivers.
(b) pure in flint
(c) mixed in pyrites.
AH the gold at the Kouh-Zard (yellow mountain) south of Danghan has been
extracted, only some alluvial quartz remaining.
The Anarak mines have recently furnished a few small lumps of pure gold.
Other mines exist at Bourujird, Hamadan, Firuz Kuh, between Nishapur
and Meshed, and at Zarchouran, west of Zandjan.
It has been found that the exploitation of the above-mentioned mines
would not be profitable, but it is hoped to find gold more plentifully
mixed with other metals such as copper and lead.
2. Silver .—No silver mines have as yet been found but it is hoped to find the
metal in ores containing lead, copper and nickel,
3. Lead. —It is reported that the existence of more than 50 lead mines have
been located. Most of the mines already exploited proved to be of carbonate of
lead : in others sulphur was present. The principal mines are at Khorasan, Kashan,
Hamadan, Kerman, Nain, Anarak, Pass-ghaleh near Tehran, Damghan, Khamseh
and in Gharahdagh in Azarbaijan, The latter deposits include sulphur, pyrite,
zinc, with a small quantity of gold and silver.
4. Zinc .—No zinc mine has been found but zinc is found mixed with other
deposits at Gharadagh, Passghaleh, Anarak, south of Tezd and in Khorassan.
5 fin —No tin mines located yet but there are expectations of finding some
in the regions of Kouh Biyan and in the mountains to the west of Resht.
6. Copper .—Copper is found principally in the Gharadagh, the mountainous
regions in the south, Zaveh, Zandjan, Mianeh, Djandagh, in the Alberz, in Kho
rassan between Meshed and Nishapour, Abbassabad, Sabzevar, Kerman, Yezd,
Nain, Anarak, Isfahan and Kashan.
7. Mercury .—No prospecting has been made as yet, but it is possible that
mercury may be found in the mountains of Nain Ghaleh Afshar.
8. Arsenic .—Granite lumps including arsenic and sulphur have been found
in the mountains of Kurdistan, the Ghaflan Kuh (south east of Tabriz) and in the
region of Anarak mixed with copper and nickel.
9. Nickel and Azure Cobalt .—Both are found at Anarak, and traces exist in
the mountains north of Tehran. Cobalt is found also in the regions south west of
Kashan where it exists in iron ore. Exploitation of the deposits at Anarak has
shown a good percentage of nickel in the ores extracted. Studies lead to the
presumption that nickel exists in other regions of Iran.
10. Chrome. —Chrome in the form of chromate is found in Khorassan and at
Sabzehvar. The percentage of chrome is 28%. It has also been found that lumps
of serpentine generally contain chrome. It is expected to find the mineral in the
mountains of Takhteh Suleiman and to the west of the Chalous Road.