The company also set a new record in sales by selling 70.1 trillion rials ($1.85 billion) worth of copper products last year. NICICO is the leading copper producer in the Middle East and North Africa region, as the mines it operates holds close to 14% of Asia’s copper deposits and about 3% of global reserves, according to Financial Tribune. Iran holds some 4 billion tons of estimated copper reserves, according to the Geological Survey of Iran, Mes Press reported.