Iran has opened two uranium mines in Sagand of the Yazd Province. A uranium factory was also opened in the area and named after nuclear scientist Daryush Rezainejad killed in 2011.
Construction of the mines took 18 years. They were opened to mark the Day of National Nuclear Technologies. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived for the opening ceremony.
Uranium is extracted from a depth of 350m. The mines will extract 60 tons of uranium a year.
The Iranian Nuclear Energy Organization said that Sagand had about 1.55 million tons of uranium ore with 0.05% of uranium.
