Rare Earth Elements in Turkey: Emerging Prospects

By transforming the ore into intermediate and end products, the aim is not only to meet the needs of the domestic industry but also to surpass them and create opportunities for exports. This approach encompasses the entire supply chain, from initial production to final products, fostering the production of high-tech, value-added goods that cater to the Turkish market.9

Ultimately, this strategy is designed to drive economic growth, promote investment, generate employment, and enhance Turkey’s standing in the global economy. While Turkey’s claim has garnered attention, experts urge caution, pointing out that the true extent and quality of the rare earth elements in Turkey’s deposit remain uncertain and require further assessment. Furthermore, even if Turkey possesses a significant deposit, the challenge lies in establishing efficient processing capabilities, where China currently holds a competitive advantage.10

Significantly, European Union has been actively involved in partnering with Turkey for exploration and relevant research on rare earths. For instance, the ERA-MIN Joint Call 2019 project titled “Recovery of rare earth elements from complex ores in Turkey and their potential use in high tech industrial applications” is being undertaken from December 2020 to November 2023. The project, with the acronym RETECH, aims to recover rare earth elements from complex ores in Turkey and explore their potential applications in high-tech industries. The partners involved in the project include Rare Earth Elements Research Institute (Turkey), the National R&D Institute for Nonferrous and Rare Metals (Romania), the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (Turkey), Rumelisiad Girisim A.S.(Turkey), and INCDMRR (Romania).

Turkey’s General Directorate of Industry has initiated the project titled ‘Enhancing the Rare Earth Elements (REEs) Research and Innovation Capacity of Turkey’11 to establish a national supply chain for REEs in the country, ensure a safe, continuous and reliable supply while increasing Research and Development (R&D) capacity. Over a 24-month duration, starting from 21 July 2022, the project, with the European Union’s contribution of more than Euros 11 million, focuses on specific objectives. These include establishing a reliable supply chain for REEs, recovering and