President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye announced that the world's second-largest rare earth element deposit was discovered in Türkiye's Eskişehir province, marking a historic turning point for the country's economy and industrial development.
President Erdoğan emphasised the importance of rare earth elements in strategic areas such as battery production, smartphones, laser turbines, and the high-tech defence industry, and reiterated Türkiye's commitment to having a global presence in this sector. Erdoğan said, "Our goal is to be among the top five countries in the world in the production of rare earth elements."
Stating that the project would be operated entirely under Türkiye's own supervision, Erdoğan said, "It is out of the question for us to hand it to another country or a foreign company."
President Erdoğan added that Türkiye's success marked a significant step towards economic independence and technological self-sufficiency, positioning the country as a new global market powerhouse.