- Turkey | 14 July 2018
How important is coal for Turkey’s energy self-sufficiency, and what is the demand for it in the mining industry?
UR: Coal is of strategic importance to Turkey’s energy self-sufficiency, and the government is prioritizing big coal power plant projects to reduce energy imports from Russia and CIS countries. The new power plants and mines feeding them will be completed in the next five years. However, Turkey’s geology is not favorable for coal mining, with most reserves being lignite and only a few locations with hard coal. The quality of coal is also lower than international standards, which presents challenges for mining companies.
VK: Due to Turkey’s complex geological structure, coal mining companies face significant challenges in mining their resource, especially considering the lower quality of the coal compared to international standards.
How has the mining industry in Turkey responded to the government’s push for coal power plants and energy self-sufficiency?
UR: The government is pushing for big coal power plant projects and aims to source all mined coal from Turkey. However, due to the lower quality of coal in Turkey, mining companies are facing remarkable challenges in meeting this demand.
VK: The mining industry in Turkey has responded to the government’s push for coal power plants and energy self-sufficiency by investing in big projects, but the challenges posed by the geology of the region and the quality of coal cannot be overlooked.
Can you discuss the technical standards in the Turkish mining industry and the demand for international standards?
UR: DMT’s mining experts adhere to the Australian JORC Code and Canadian Standard NI 43-101 for reporting, and our Turkish clients also demand international standards. However, their budgets are often limited. DMT offers independent mining consulting and engineering services in Turkey to help clients adapt to local conditions and budget constraints. Instead of bankable feasibility studies, we offer more pre-feasibility or scoping level reports.
VK: The state-owned companies, the General Directorate of Mining Affairs and the Ministry of Energy have expressed a strong desire to comply with international standards for resource/reserve evaluation. Therefore, there should be an increased demand for such services.
