Resumen de Borates key to new Turkish energy strategy, says minstry
Turkey holds almost 73% of the world's total boron reserves, at 955.3m tonnes B[subscript]2 O[subscript]3. Turkish state-owned Eti Maden IGM is the world's largest producer of borates, producing boron salts at four sites, Kirka, Emet, Bigadic and Bandirma. In 2014, the company produced 47% of the world's 4.3m tonne boron output.
"Today just 10-15% of Turkey's mining operations belong to public bodies, such as Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI), Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises (TTK) and Eti Maden," Nevzat Kavakli, Deputy Undersecretary of the Minister of Energy and Natural resources, said recently. "We are ready to increase foreign mining companies' share in our country. To encourage these foreign companies, the Ministry of Economy has established new incentive schemes for strategic investments," he added.
These targets rely heavily on the consistent development of both the Turkish economy and foreign investment. "The Turkish Republic is in need of financial direct investment, because of the large deficit in the national budget," said Zeynep Dereli, managing director of APCO Worldwide Turkey, a global strategic communications and advisory firm. "The financing of this deficit, given the volatility with the Turkish lira, and lower GDP growth, will have an effect on the country," he added.
