Türkiye is solidifying its standing in global mining, supported by a vast underground resource base valued at an estimated $3.5 trillion and accelerating investments in critical minerals central to the global energy transition.
According to data compiled by Anadolu for Dec. 4 World Miners Day, Türkiye hosts 70 of the 90 globally traded minerals and maintains active commercial operations in 60 of them.
Over the past two decades, the mining sector has grown more than fourfold, with its gross domestic product contribution rising from 116 billion liras in 2002 to 525 billion liras in 2024 at current prices. Annual mineral exports climbed sevenfold to reach $6 billion during the same period.
Experts note that a significant portion of Türkiye's mineral assets remains unexploited, with geological assessments indicating untapped potential worth $3.5 trillion. They emphasize that unlocking this value depends on expanding exploration spending and modernizing national geological databases.
- Gold resources exceed 6,500 tons as production outlook improves
Türkiye holds roughly 2% of global gold reserves, with a total potential of around 6,500 tons. About 1,500 tons have already been identified and are under production. The remaining 5,000 tons—valued near $300 billion at current prices—represent one of the sector's largest unrealized opportunities.
Domestic gold output has hovered around 30-32 tons annually, after peaking at 42 tons in 2020. Production eased to 35.5 tons in 2023 and is projected to close 2024 at 32.2 tons, though industry representatives expect a rebound as new mines come online.
They see a path back toward 40 tons, with improved permitting and rising investment appetite potentially lifting annual production to 50-60 tons after 2026.
Türkiye is also expanding its overseas footprint. Operations in Niger have reached the final phase ahead of the country’s first international gold output, while exploration work continues in Uzbekistan. Early-stage project development is underway across Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Libya and Syria.
- Türkiye maintains global lead in boron with $1.3 billion revenue
Türkiye retains its position as the world's leading boron supplier, holding 73% of global boron reserves and more than 60% of the market. The country recorded 2.5 million tons of sales and $1.3 billion in revenue in 2024, marking one of its strongest export-driven performances.
Value-added boron initiatives are expanding. The pilot lithium carbonate facility in Eskisehir Kırka has produced its first output, paving the way for an industrial plant targeting 600 tons of annual capacity.
In Bandırma, production continues at Türkiye's boron carbide facility—used in defense and advanced industrial applications—while an 800-ton ferroboron plant is being prepared to support steelmaking and high-magnet applications.
- REEs position Türkiye as an emerging strategic producer
Türkiye is rapidly advancing into the rare earth elements (REEs) segment, driven by global demand from electric vehicles, advanced defense technologies and clean energy industries. The Eskisehir Beylikova REE field, identified through 125,000 meters of drilling, contains 694 million tons of resources with 12.5 million tons of REE oxides, making it the world's second-largest deposit after China's Bayan Obo.
The pilot plant will initially focus on oxide production for seven key elements, while the wider facility is designed to process all 17 rare earth elements, including those used in permanent magnets and catalysts. Thorium—an alternative nuclear fuel feedstock—will also be processed at the site.
Türkiye aims to process 1,200 tons of ore annually at the pilot stage before scaling up to an industrial plant targeting 570,000 tons of annual production, expected to generate around $220 million in added value per year.
According to sector analysts, Beylikova represents a strategic leap that could place Türkiye among the world's top five REE producers.
Refinement and purification technology development is ongoing as Türkiye seeks to transition the pilot plant into a full-scale industrial operation.
As global competition heats up in critical minerals, Türkiye is positioning itself not only as a resource-rich country but increasingly as a producer of value-added minerals fundamental to the clean-energy economy.
With expanding gold, boron, and rare earth capacity, combined with unexplored underground wealth and improving permitting processes, the country is reinforcing its long-term ambition to become a regional hub in strategic mining and advanced materials production.
By Duygu Alhan
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr