2. The abandoned mines of Iran
   2-1 The history of mining in Iran
   As historical manuscripts and available evidences exhibit, Iran is an ancient country in mining. In accordance with the obtained evidences from Kermanshah and Lorestan, mining has been started from “Paleolithic Age”. Archaeological studies indicated that the residents of Taleblis knew the significance of copper from 600 years ago. After copper exploitation, they started to make copper tools. From the second half of the first millennium B.C; with establishment of Achaemenian government until the appearance of Islam, mining technology and metals and gems exploitation were very common. From the date of appearance of Islam and at the early centuries after that, great scientists in Iran appeared, and many of their writings are available.
   Today, the mines, which were exploited in the previous centuries, are not assumed as abandoned mines. Most of them are considered in the category of mineral indices, except the ones that exploration studies has proved vice versa. The main abandoned mines of the country belong to 50 years ago. Considering the availability of mining data, the examination and modelling of them in order to present to the investors are in priority. Some of these mines, which were exploited by the foreign companies, were closed after the Islamic Revolution.
   Some of the main parts of these mines were located in the abandoned group, the others based on the governing economic conditions, and local discords were closed. Therefore, closing of these mines is not because of running out of their reserves.