Türkiye Proposes Authority to Evaluate Critical Minerals

(MENAFN) A new initiative has been proposed in Türkiye to create a dedicated authority focused on critical minerals, aimed at evaluating the nation’s capabilities in rare earth elements (REEs), according to the chair of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Mining Council.

Speaking to a news agency, Ibrahim Halil Kirsan emphasized the extensive applications of rare earths across multiple industries, including electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, renewable energy, industrial robotics, and defense, while also noting that they have become pivotal in trade tensions among China, the US, and the EU.

Kirsan pointed out that REEs and other essential minerals have significantly influenced countries’ geopolitical strategies amid what he described as “a new industrial revolution.”

He warned, “The world is heading toward a mineral supply crisis, similar to the oil shocks of the 1970s — minerals are becoming the new oil.”

Kirsan also explained that the drive for digitalization and electrification in various sectors, coupled with the growing adoption of clean energy technologies, has led developed nations to regard access to critical and strategic minerals as a key national security issue.

He further underlined China’s dominance, controlling around 70% of global critical mineral production last year, while highlighting Türkiye’s strategic location between Asia and Europe and its substantial mining potential.

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