KERMAN, Iran

Home to the largest copper mine in the Middle East and North Africa, Iran's southeastern city of Sarcheshmeh is emerging as a hotspot for investment in the lucrative industry.

With an astounding 10 billion tons of copper reserves, the region has more than half of Iran's 19-billion-ton total, attracting significant numbers of potential investors looking to capitalize on the nation's vast resources of the red metal.

*Written by Faruk Zorlu in Ankara