Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar made a statement on his social media account, The world's second largest single-field rare earth element (REE) reserve located in Eskişehir He drew attention to its strategic importance for Türkiye. Bayraktar stated that this giant resource will not only provide energy independence but also open the doors of a new era for Türkiye in many areas from defense industry to space technologies.
“A New Era Will Begin with the Raw Material of the Future”
Minister Bayraktar emphasized the potential of the NTE reserve with the following statements in his post:
“With the raw materials of the future; independence in energy, breakthrough in technology, a new era in economy will begin. From defense to space industry, from renewable energy to electric vehicles, from nuclear to advanced technology systems… Technology is now growing in the fertile lands of Eskişehir."
By processing this huge reserve, the project will not only benefit the region but also will also make great contributions to the country's economy. He stressed.
Strategic Importance of Rare Earth Elements
Rare earth elements are indispensable raw materials for today’s high-tech industries. They are used in a wide range of areas, from electric vehicle batteries to wind turbines, from smartphones to lasers, from medical imaging devices to defense industry equipment. Having these elements gives a country a significant advantage in global supply chains and is a critical step towards technological independence.
The discovery and processing of this huge reserve in Eskişehir could play a key role in Türkiye’s development of its own high-tech products, increasing its domestic and national defense industry capacity, and achieving its goals of becoming a major player in the energy transformation. This step is also considered a strategic gain that will strengthen Türkiye’s hand in the global competitive environment.
