16.11.2021 Ankara
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the Turkish Mining Sector Development Report will contribute to the creation of policies and strategies for the sector while aiming to inform the public about underground resources, especially gold, copper, coal, marble and chrome.
The introductory
meeting of the “Turkish Mining Sector Development Report” for 2020 prepared by
the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and TOBB Mining Council was held
in TOBB Twin Towers with the participation of Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources Fatih Dönmez.
In his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu
pointed out that with the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been abnormal increases
in the price of raw materials in particular. “This has pushed outwardly
dependent countries. Those who survived this process with minimal damage were
the countries that were able to successfully manage the security of raw
material supply,” he said.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that the pandemic demonstrated the importance of all three sectors, and that
these are agriculture for food safety, health to protect against diseases and
mining for raw material safety needed by industry.
Hisarcıklıoğlu noted
that the Turkey Mining Council, which continues to work under the umbrella of
TOBB, has worked very closely with the Ministry and contributed to the
implementation of many legal and administrative arrangements. “Our Council has
ensured the creation of public policies on mining. In this process, our sector
met twice with our Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and conveyed the
proposals first hand. Thanks to the measures taken, the mining sector has
breathed a sigh of relief even if only in part,” he said.
Stating that the world
is undergoing a digital transformation, Hisarcıklıoğlu explained that this
transformation is of close interest to all sectors, especially industry, and
that the mining sector is one of the sectors that will be most affected and
where radical changes will be experienced in the production chain.
- “The report focuses on the legal, economic, social and
environmental development of the mining sector”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that increasingly widespread autonomous systems and unmanned mining activities
will significantly increase the efficiency of the sector, and that electric
work machines to replace diesel vehicles will reduce the carbon footprint of
the sector and facilitate its adaptation to the environment.
Emphasizing that the
most important topic that the sector will focus on in the future will be the
fight against climate change, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated:
“Energy policies were
the main agenda item of almost all countries at the Climate Change Conference
in Glasgow last week. As Turkey, we can’t afford to be left out of this radical
change in our export markets. On the other hand, in this process, where energy
supply security is more valuable than ever, we must allow the sector to
properly evaluate our domestic resources such as coal. The mining industry
should grow in a healthy way, not despite the environment, but by adapting to
global environmental policies. Today, there are mineral products in
agriculture, buildings, building chemicals, vehicles, paper, plastics, energy,
and high-tech products.”
Pointing out that the
Turkish Mining Sector Development Report will shed light on the future of the
mining sector, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the report focuses on the current
situation of the mining sector while presenting projections for the future of
the sector.
Hisarcıklıoğlu informed
that the report consists of 9 parts and made the following assessment:
“The report focuses on
the legal, economic, social and environmental development of the mining sector
and examined the weaknesses and strengths of the sector. The Turkish Mining
Sector Development Report will contribute to the creation of policies and
strategies for the sector while aiming to inform the public about our
underground resources, especially gold, copper, coal, marble and chrome. In
short, it has content that will shed light on the future of the mining sector
and contribute to it.”
- Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Dönmez
Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez also announced that Turkey's mineral exports
increased by 48% to $4.38 billion in January-September compared to the same
period last year.
At the “Turkish Mining
Sector Development Report - 2020” meeting held at the Union of Chambers and
Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) building, Dönmez said that the demand for
mineral products increased with the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines.
Pointing out that
energy and mineral prices have reached record levels in the world and Turkey
recently, Dönmez said, “Of course we have been affected by this process, but
compared to the rest of the world, Turkey has recovered faster than other
countries. Our mineral exports increased to $4.38 billion in the first 9 months
of 2021. Our exports increased by 48% compared to the same period last year.
Last September, we exported $584 million worth of minerals. Compared to the
same period last year, the increase we achieved here was 39%.”
He stated that China,
the United States and Spain were the top 3 most exported countries during the period,
and that Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Albania and Serbia were added to
Turkey's exports as new markets.
Dönmez pointed out that
the contribution of the mining sector to gross domestic product reached 59.2
billion liras in 2020 from 11 billion liras in 2009.