Türkiye holds 70 of the world’s 90 commercially traded minerals

ANTALYA

Türkiye possesses 70 of the approximately 90 minerals traded globally, İbrahim Halil Kırşan, chair of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) Mining Assembly, has said.

Kırşan stated that the country is home to gold, copper, lead, zinc, chrome and coal among other resources.

“Of the 90 minerals traded worldwide, 70 are found in our country and 60 are actively traded. This makes Türkiye and its geography extremely rich and productive in terms of mineral diversity and deposits. Looking at our mineral potential, we achieve annual exports worth $6.5 billion,” he said.

He emphasized that access to raw materials and critical minerals lies at the heart of global trade conflicts, underscoring the need for Türkiye to make better use of its resources.

Kırşan also pointed out that the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry is currently working on evaluating the country’s mineral potential, preparing a list of critical and strategic minerals and supporting related legal regulations.

He further stressed the importance of establishing a climate change unit within the Ministry.

If such a framework is created, legislation will be adjusted accordingly, and a mining law and policy aligned with new global standards can be determined, Kırşan added.

“This is essential because we are producing the domestic car Togg, which requires raw materials and batteries. Likewise, solar panels, wind turbines and our defense industry will increasingly depend on critical and strategic minerals,” he said.