What has the Foundation been up to since 2014?

The Foundation has implemented some significant changes such as automatic retirement for board members aged 80 or older, resulting in a much younger board. They have organized several international congresses, technical visits to other countries, and different locations within Turkey. For instance, they arranged the INERMA congress and exhibition, which stands for the International Energy Raw Materials and Energy Congress in cooperation with Istanbul Technical University. They also organized a Balkan mineral processing congress in Antalya, which saw a great turnout from Balkan countries. Technical trips to Germany, Sweden, and Finland were also arranged, attended by 28 mining professionals. Additionally, the Foundation submitted a Mining Master Plan for the next 20 years to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. To improve the image of mining, the Foundation is also creating television programs, with episodes every 15 days on Bloomberg TV and every month on Cemtv.

Can you discuss the opportunities available in Turkey’s mining industry?

The government has given mining a higher priority, with coal mining receiving a lot of support from banks, construction companies, and new laws that incentivize large-scale mining. Major investments have been made in coal, phosphate, gold, copper, and chromite mining, as well as mineral exports, although foreign investment has been affected by the need for government permission to sell more than 10% of a company and the requirement for mining license applications to go through the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

How challenging is the mine licensing and the environmental, health and safety regulations setup in Turkey?

The mining law still poses challenges, particularly for foreign investors who are deterred by the risk and bureaucracy of obtaining mining licenses and government approval to sell more than 10% of a company. However, domestic capital is increasing due to government support.

Have safety standards improved at Turkish mining companies since the Soma mine disaster?

After the Soma mine disaster, the mining law was changed to hold board members responsible for accidents. This has resulted in mine owners avoiding board positions and foreign investors being hesitant to invest or requiring their domestic partners to cover the risk. The Foundation is working to amend this aspect of the law.

What are the priorities of the Foundation going forward?                                             

The Foundation is currently focused on preparing for the next Eurasian International Mineral Processing Congresses in 2019 and 2021.