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The Turkish Miners Association (TMD) President, Mehmet Yilmaz, said rare earth element (REE) production could provide Türkiye with major export potential and enhance its competitiveness through domestic technologies or partnerships with leading producers such as China.
Yilmaz highlighted that the Beylikova mining site in Eskisehir carries strategic importance for Türkiye’s resource diversity.
With the right technology, sustainable planning, and investment conditions, the country could become a strong global producer, he said.
A total of 694 million tons of REE resources have been identified in Beylikova. Yilmaz noted that to bring this potential into the economy, technical reports must meet National Mineral Resource and Reserve Reporting Commission (UMREK) standards, and feasibility studies must be completed. Once finalized, the field could serve as a world-scale production hub.
Yilmaz said the Beylikova Pilot Plant currently focuses on ore enrichment, the first step in separating and refining REE content, but the real value lies in producing REE oxides and metals.
“With technology sharing, R&D investment, and stronger engineering capacity, Türkiye can move up the production chain,” he said.
He added that advancing REE projects could help Türkiye gain a significant share in the global supply chain. “Developing local technologies or forming partnerships with countries such as China will enhance Türkiye’s competitiveness,” he said.
Yilmaz underlined that REE production offers significant export potential and can directly contribute to Türkiye’s strategic independence and sustainable growth. Since global pricing largely depends on China’s policies, he said Türkiye should focus on high-value-added production rather than cost competition.
“If production expands from ore concentrate to REE chemicals and metals used in green energy, storage, and advanced technology sectors, the contribution to the Turkish economy will be far greater,” Yilmaz said.
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