IRAN November 10 2016 3:30 PM

TEHRAN (Scrap Register): Iranian iron ore exports shot up by 54% year-on-year to 8.46 million metric tons during the first half of the Iranian year, to September 21, despite the Iranian government's policy to halt exports of raw materials.

Iranian iron ore pellet imports declined sharply by 93% year-on-year to 65,000 metric tons during the first six months of the Iranian year and Iranian steel industry imported 98,400 metric tons of metallurgical coal in the same period, down about 76% year-on-year.

Met coal imports are not expected to rise because the government has imposed a 15% import duty and imports are restricted to support domestic mines.

Iran's iron ore output and export volumes have slumped over the past two years because global prices have dropped sharply.