Turkish Miners Association (TMD) President Mehmet Yılmaz stated that with the increasing need for critical minerals in energy transformation, the reliable supply of these resources and production in accordance with environmental and social responsibility principles have gained importance, and that responsible mining has become strategic in terms of the sector's access to finance and social acceptance.
Yılmaz made evaluations to the AA correspondent within the scope of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) hosted by Türkiye in Antalya.
Stating that the new energy system, from renewable energy technologies to electric vehicles, from batteries to energy transmission infrastructure, is based on raw materials provided by the mining sector, Yılmaz pointed out that with the spread of clean energy technologies, the demand for copper, lithium, nickel, graphite and rare earth elements will increase.
Yılmaz emphasized that Türkiye should diversify its production portfolio in line with global needs while maintaining its strength in traditional production areas.
Stating that high installation targets in solar and wind energy offer significant economic opportunities for the mining sector, Yılmaz said, "Global competition is no longer shaped only by owning underground resources. The real competition is experienced in the capacity to transform that resource into economic value, process it and integrate it into reliable supply chains." he said.
Yılmaz explained that a different investment and incentive approach is needed for each mine, and pointed out the importance of developing refining capacity by discovering new resources, especially in copper, investigating the potential of minerals used in storage technologies, and investing in separation technologies for rare earth elements.
Stating that the primary expectation of the mining sector is the preparation of road maps specifically for strategic mines, Yılmaz stated that Türkiye's geographical location offers the country the opportunity to become a regional mineral processing and supply center. Yılmaz stated that for this, access to finance should be facilitated and long-term predictability should be provided to investors.
RENEWABLE INVESTMENTS STAND OUT IN MINING SITES
Yılmaz emphasized that mining is an energy-intensive sector and that a significant amount of energy is consumed in the processes of extracting, crushing, grinding and enriching the ore, and stated that companies' interest in solar energy investments for self-consumption has increased.
Pointing out that the energy needs of mining enterprises can continue at all hours of the day, Yılmaz said that renewable energy investments should be evaluated together with storage systems, network connections and consumption management.
Yılmaz underlined that COP31 is an important opportunity for Türkiye to explain its climate policies and sustainable development approach to the international public and said, "We attach importance to the fact that within the scope of the summit, the reliable supply of critical minerals and production in accordance with environmental and social responsibility principles are addressed together." he said.
Emphasizing that the increasing need for minerals in energy transition does not require ignoring environmental and social impacts, Yılmaz said, "As the need for new mineral resources increases, the importance of responsible production standards increases. Protection of biodiversity, management of water resources, expectations of local communities, transparency and access to finance are not independent issues." made his assessment.
Yılmaz stated that international financial institutions are increasingly giving importance to environmental and social criteria in their investment decisions and said, "Responsible mining has become a strategic element that affects the access to finance and social acceptance of projects." he said.
Referring to his basic expectations from COP31, Yılmaz added that it is a discussion of how better mining will be possible in a world where more mines are needed.
