Türkiye aims to become rare earth processing hub

A large rare earth deposit in Beylikova, Eskişehir has put Türkiye on the map for critical minerals diplomacy and industrial strategy.
Demand for rare earth elements (REEs) and related minerals is rising across clean energy, defense, telecoms and automotive sectors, while China retains dominant processing capacity, creating geopolitical pressure to diversify supply chains.
Türkiye has moved from discovery to pilot refining under state miner ETİ Maden and plans an industrial-scale plant within two years, targeting about 10,000 tonnes of REEs annually and leveraging estimated reserves near 12.5 million tonnes.
Domestic policies that supported wind, solar and component manufacturing-YEKDEM and YEKA-along with the emergence of the local EV maker Togg, create a manufacturing base that could absorb upstream raw material production.
But extracting ore is only the first step: economically viable refining requires capital-intensive technologies, environmental permits, predictable incentives and international partnerships for know‑how. Ankara is negotiating with multiple partners, including China, the U.S., Australia and Canada, seeking technology transfer and commitments to local production.
If Türkiye couples smart industrial policy with firm foreign-investment conditions and environmental standards, it could become a regional supplier for European automakers and a meaningful player in critical-minerals supply chains.