Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced plans to establish a facility that will purify 570,000 tons of rare earth elements annually. Speaking at the International Mining Conference in China, Bayraktar emphasized the global demand for critical minerals, particularly for clean energy technologies. He highlighted Türkiye’s discovery of the world’s second-largest rare earth reserve in Eskişehir in 2022 and expressed Türkiye’s readiness to collaborate with Africa, West, and Central Asia.
Bayraktar also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China, strengthening cooperation in the mining sector. The agreement focuses on joint projects, particularly regarding critical minerals. This is the second such agreement between Türkiye and China in five months.