
Sarcheshmeh (سرچشمه) or Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex ( fa, كارخانجات مجتمع مس سرچشمه – ''Kārkhāneh-ye Mojtame‘-e Mes-e Sar Cheshmeh'') is a large open cast
copper mine in the
Kerman
Kerman ( fa, كرمان, Kermân ; also romanization of Persian, romanized as Kermun and Karmana), known in ancient times as the satrapy of Carmania, is the capital city of Kerman Province, Iran. At the 2011 census, its population was 821,394, in ...
Province of
Iran, considered to be the second largest copper deposit worldwide. Also containing substantial amounts of
molybdenum
Molybdenum is a chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42 which is located in period 5 and group 6. The name is from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'', which is based on Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lea ...
,
gold and other rare
metals. It is also a settlement, enumerated at Iranian census.
The Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex is located 65 km southwest of Kerman and 50 km south of Rafsanjan. The region's altitude averages about 2600m, the highest spot of which approximates 3000m. Sarcheshmeh ore bodies, situated in the central part of Zagros ranges, consist of folded and faulted early tertiary volcano-sedimentary rocks.
Sar Cheshmeh mine was managed by the
Anaconda Group until the 1979 revolution in Iran. Design and construction of the processing plant was done by
Parsons-Jurden of the US.
Production units of Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex involve the mine itself, concentrator, smelter, refinery, foundries and leaching.
Administratively, the settlement is in the
Sarcheshmeh Rural District, in the
Central District of
Rafsanjan County,
Kerman Province,
Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 53, in 14 families.
See also
*
Mining in Iran
*
International rankings of Iran
References
External links
National Iranian Copper Industries Company
{{Rafsanjan County
Open-pit mines
Populated places in Rafsanjan County
Surface mines in Iran