The Medium-Term Program (MTP) covering 2027-2029 focuses on critical minerals, energy and mining technologies, in line with the goal of exploring and producing Türkiye's domestic resources and bringing them into the economy with high added value.
The program foresees diversifying energy resources and increasing storage capacity, as well as introducing regulatory measures to reduce dependence on imports of critical and strategic minerals. Research and development and product development activities aimed at developing critical technologies and equipment used in the energy and mining sectors will also be supported.
Focus on technology and added value in mining
Research and development activities will be conducted in the areas of gasification of domestic coal, carbon capture and storage, and advanced-technology carbon products under clean coal technologies. The program aims to develop domestic technologies and products based on research and development in the mining sector and increase the production and sales of high-value-added boron products.
The program also aims to bring rare earth elements into the economy and increase exploration and production of oil, natural gas and minerals both domestically and abroad. Bringing reserves into the economy with higher added value is among the prominent areas of mining policy.
139 percent increase in MTA exploration investments
İbrahim Halil Kırşan, chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Mining Council, said critical minerals, minerals and rare earth elements were of national security and geopolitical importance in terms of security of supply.
Kırşan said including these areas among the priorities of the MTP was important for industry. He stated that increasing investments by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration in mineral exploration by 139 percent would contribute to uncovering Türkiye's mineral potential.
Kırşan described the explicit inclusion in the MTP of regulatory measures aimed at reducing dependence on imports of critical and strategic minerals as one of the most strategic steps for the mining sector. He noted that the goal of increasing exploration and production demonstrated the importance attached to minerals.
Proposal for a new strategy and institutional structure
Kırşan said decision-makers should view mining not merely as the extraction of underground resources, but as a strategic value chain extending from critical mineral security of supply to technology and industry.
He said this approach should be reflected in investment, financing, refining and end-product policies, and proposed that a critical minerals strategy be prepared through cooperation among the public sector, private sector and universities. He called for the preparation of a National Critical Minerals Strategy Document and the establishment of a Critical Minerals Directorate to enable Türkiye to move from exporting raw ore to exporting high-value-added products.
Processing and end-product capacity to be strengthened
Kırşan said that despite Türkiye's strong mineral potential and mining culture, the country had limited capacity to produce end products at the processing, purification and advanced technology conversion stages. He said this was why a significant portion of the added value was generated abroad.
Kırşan said Türkiye's domestic production strength in the energy transition, automotive and defense industries could create domestic demand for mineral processing. He assessed that the country's competitive advantage stemmed not only from its geological potential but also from the combination of its industrial, logistical and geopolitical position.
The legal regulations and the proposed new structure were said to contribute to determining the industry's mineral and metal needs on the basis of supply and demand. Kırşan said mining projects should be developed in line with environmental, social and governance criteria, and that critical minerals should be treated not merely as raw materials but as fundamental inputs for the technology and industrial ecosystem.
