EditErdoğan claims discovery of world’s second-largest rare earth deposit
Compared to China's reserves of 44 million tons of extractable rare earth oxides, the find is modest - equivalent to 0.02% of its potential
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the discovery of a massive rare earth element deposit in Eskişehir’s Beylikova field, describing it as the world’s second-largest reserve, with an estimated 694 million tons of mineral resources. But he may be exaggerating.
China dominates the global rare earth market, supplying approximately 80% of the world’s rare earth imports. China’s dominance in the rare earth metals market has sparked concerns in Brussels, Berlin, and Washington that Beijing could leverage its control over these critical resources in trade and geopolitical conflicts.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex on 15 October, Erdoğan emphasized Turkey’s ambition to become a global leader in rare earth production, a critical component for advanced technologies like electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, defense, and space exploration.
A strategic discovery?
Exploration at Beylikova, involving 125,000 meters of drilling across 310 sites, has uncovered 12.5 million tons of rare earth oxides, including reportedly 10 of the 17 known rare earth elements, alongside significant deposits of barite and fluorite.
“This discovery positions Türkiye among the world’s top five producers of rare earth elements,” Erdoğan declared, highlighting the strategic importance of the find in reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.
State-owned Eti Maden has already launched a pilot processing facility at Beylikova with an annual capacity of 1,200 tons, producing seven rare earth oxides for the first time.
Plans are underway to scale up to an industrial facility with advanced purification technology, a complex process mastered by only a few nations.
Erdoğan acknowledged the global scarcity of rare earth expertise, noting that Turkey is pursuing international partnerships for technology transfer to accelerate development while safeguarding national sovereignty.
The president’s announcement followed a statement from the Disinformation response center, part of the Turkish Presidency’s communications directorate, which dismissed claims that the facility would be transferred to the United States as “entirely baseless.”
The center sressed that the site’s development is being conducted with full national sovereignty, urging the public to trust official statements.
“Claims that the Beylikova field has been handed over to foreign countries are baseless slanders against our nation,” Erdoğan said, addressing disinformation campaigns.
Turkey claims its newly discovered rare earth deposit could meet global demand for 1,000 years, but ambiguity surrounding the deposit’s grade and quality has sparked skepticism among analysts.
David Merriman, director of rare earth research at Wood Mackenzie, told Deutsche Welle that the Turkish deposit likely contains lanthanum and cerium – elements currently in significant oversupply and not the rarer types used in high-performance magnets.
A new energy axis
Erdoğan framed the rare earth discovery as part of Turkey’s broader energy strategy, which includes extracting natural gas from the Sakarya Gas Field – currently supplying 4 million households, with plans to double capacity by 2026, and the imminent electricity production from the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.
“Rare earth elements, nuclear energy, and renewables form Turkey’s new triple energy axis,” he stated, underscoring the government’s commitment to energy independence despite opposition criticism.
Erdoğan also highlighted Turkey’s growing global influence, citing the recent Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala and the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration for regional peace.
“ Turkey is no longer a follower of the West but a nation the West observes and emulates,” he asserted.
Sources: IBNA, Turkiye today, Haberler, Deutsche Welle
Caption: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex. Presidency of the Republic of Turkey
Updated: October 16, 2025 - 12:22
