In 2024, Iraq was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Iraq was the world’s fifth-ranked producer of crude petroleum, accounting for 5.3% of the world’s output. Production of industrial minerals represented only a minor part of the economy of the country. Mineral commodities produced in Iraq included cement, gypsum, limestone, nitrogen (ammonia and urea), salt, raw steel, and sulfur. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in the country is provided by Law No. 38 of 2011. The Ministry of Industry and Minerals oversees the mineral sector and provides services including monitoring mineral industry activities, preparing plans and strategies relevant to the development of the mineral industry, and managing the country’s mineral policies. Most mineral commodities were produced by state-owned enterprises, with some production carried out by privately owned, domestic companies.
In 2024, Iraq was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Iraq was the world’s fifth-ranked producer of crude petroleum, accounting for 5.3% of the world’s output. Production of industrial minerals represented only a minor part of the economy of the country. Mineral commodities produced in Iraq included cement, gypsum, limestone, nitrogen (ammonia and urea), salt, raw steel, and sulfur. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in the country is provided by Law No. 38 of 2011. The Ministry of Industry and Minerals oversees the mineral sector and provides services including monitoring mineral industry activities, preparing plans and strategies relevant to the development of the mineral industry, and managing the country’s mineral policies. Most mineral commodities were produced by state-owned enterprises, with some production carried out by privately owned, domestic companies (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, 2023, p. 65; Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, 2025, p. 26).
Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports—International—Africa and the Middle East, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/africa-and-middle-east.
