Pilot of technology and extraction of rare earth elements and other strategic elements was unveiled and exploited in the presence of the vice president for science and technology affairs, the minister of industry, mine and trade, the head of IMIDRO, and the governor of Alborz.

According to the information center of national elites foundation, the Iran mineral processing research center, located in Kavosh Research Industrial Town, Alborz Province, hosted Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, for opening and exploiting the pilot of technology and extraction of rare earth elements and other strategic elements on the verge of the 41^st victory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

During the ceremony, Reza Rahmani, the minister of industry, mine and trade, Azizollah Shahbazi, the governor of Alborz, Khodadad Gharibpour, the head of IMIDRO, and a number of industrial managers accompanied Sattari.

The vice president for science and technology affairs considered achieving a technical knowledge for exploiting mine elements and passing from selling raw materials as the most important achievements of this semi-industrial project, stating: we must realize that technology is learnable and we must forget our reliance on raw selling, especially underground sources, forever.

He also emphasized the prevention of presenting mineral compounds in a raw form using knowledge-based companies and startups, expressing: the mineral compounds that are a part of the country’s asset should not be presented raw. The added value obtained from selling 10s of oil barrels is equal to the added value obtained from selling a few grams of bio-drugs despite many challenges in the field. This shows that creativity and knowledge can bring added value thousands of times higher than selling raw materials.

Pointing out the import of at least 180 tons of mineral elements and products and currency drain due to import of these products, Sattari added: the same is true for earth elements, and while one ton of raw iron ore is best sold for $60, it only adds one kilogram of rare earth elements but more added value. Country's need for rare elements with the advancement of technology and the boom of electric cars is increasing.

Sattari added: fortunately, the pilot was concluded with a four-year effort, and we hope that the role playing of the private sector increases in this area and the pilot is turned into an industrial factory.

According to the president of the national elites foundation, capable companies in the field of mine industries can increase the recruitment of creative and graduated human resources.

Pointing out that this efficient product is the result of research conducted by the private sector, Sattari continued: the government is required to invest in knowledge frontier research, but more importantly, creating a favorable ecosystem for private sector investment in product-centric research.

More than 23 biotech drugs are produced and we are among the bests of Asia and the top regional biotechnology pole. In addition, Alborz province has a suitable capacity in the field of biotechnology companies can be the beginning of value creation from biotechnology.”

The vice president for science and technology affairs talked about the capacity of Alborz province in the field of biotechnology, marking: Kavosh Town can be turned into the science and technology pole of the country with the cooperation of the governorate and other provincial sectors. With a memorandum of understanding that will be signed in the future in line with the strategies of the Vice-Presidency to flourish the ecosystem of knowledge-based economy, a greater capacity will be provided for the development of knowledge-based and startup businesses of Alborz province.

Sattari added: the minerals research and processing center at Kavosh research town can become an accelerator and lay the foundation for the investment of the private sector in knowledge-based companies.

This increasing growth in startups is a reflection of this thinking and should now extend to other areas including industries.

According to the report, semi-industrial design and technology for the extraction and processing of rare earth elements has been carried out for the first time on a semi-industrial scale. Various products, such as titanium oxide, light and heavy rare earth elements are extracted and processed in this project. 

Production of Iranian-made Turbines

The vice president for science and technology affairs visited the Viraa Co., producer of Iranian turbines. Field and workshop repairs, construction, installation and commissioning of turbocharged oil and gas process engines including centrifugal pumps, steam and gas turbines are among the company's capabilities.

Designing and manufacturing a single-turbine steam turbine of 50 kW to 50 MW with native software and hardware is on the company's list of capabilities.

During the visit, the vice president for science and technology affairs issued the necessary decrees to support the Iranian-made productions of this knowledge-based company.

Visiting the Process of Implementation of the Macro Project of Iranian National Observatory

 By visiting the Khavar Press Co., the executive of the telescope construction project of Iranian national observatory, Sattari was familiarized with the progress of the project, which was approved in 2000 as one of the research priorities of the scientific research council of the country. In 2009, the executive processes of the event were initiated with the financial and spiritual support of the Vice-Presidency and by the knowledge-based research center in cooperation with related units. All parts of the 3.4 meter telescope will be built and will soon be installed at the company site and ready for testing.