Our Life Mining Workshop Gathered in Afyonkarahisar, the Capital of Marble

Mining Sector wants the Ministry of Mining

The Turkish mining industry, which brings Turkey’s underground riches to the economy with the motto “Mine for life, mine for living”, is the “5th. At the “Mining Workshop of Our Lives”, he demanded the establishment of the “Ministry of Mining”, which will be the sole interlocutor in solving the problems of the mining sector. “Our Life Mining Workshop”, organized alternately by the Aegean Mineral Exporters Association and Istanbul Mineral Exporters Association since 2017, where mining sector representatives and public institutions discuss the problems of the mining sector and their solution suggestions, was held in Afyonkarahisar, the capital of marble, where the Great Offensive began, on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of our Republic. It was hosted by the Aegean Mineral Exporters Association.

Alimoglu; “First people, then the environment, then the mine”

Speaking at the opening of the 5th Our Life Mining Workshop, İbrahim Alimoğlu, President of the Aegean Mineral Exporters Association, stated that they will talk about mining legislation, sustainability, mining perception, the future of the sector and critical raw materials, and the position of our women in the sector, who carry the mining sector forward with their presence, as in every aspect of our lives.

“Türkiye exports nearly 80 minerals. “Our mines also contribute to the country’s economy as raw materials for other sectors,” said Alimoğlu, adding: “We will continue to increase our sustainability-oriented exports with the motto of “First people, then the environment, then the mine”! We are aware of the needs of the sector. In order to minimize bureaucracy, our greatest need is to establish the Ministry of Natural Resources. Thus, we will be able to handle all our work with a single contact person. Being together is very important. We can break the negative perception created for miners by working together and lobbying. “For this purpose, we act together with our 18 Mining NGOs,” he said.

Çetinkaya: “Agriculture is also ours, the environment is also ours, the mine is ours”

Underlining that the products obtained by miners with great effort are used in every moment and every aspect of life, TİM Mining Sector Board Chairman and Istanbul Mineral Exporters Association President Rüstem Çetinkaya emphasized that we have as much magnificent wealth underground as we do above ground. Çetinkaya said, “We are a country with great riches. We have as much magnificent wealth underground as we have above ground. As a country, we can reach much better points in tourism, agriculture, mining and production. As miners, we act with an understanding that prioritizes agriculture. We, as miners, have been saying the same thing for a long time. We wholeheartedly believe in what we say and we repeat it in every environment. “Agriculture is also ours, the environment is ours, and the mine is ours,” he said.

Stating that they are involved as miners in agricultural lands, in industrial factories, in the kitchens of houses, on the screens where engineers make calculations, in the heart of green energy and in the depths of the country’s economy, Çetinkaya continued his words as follows; “Alright! Are we held in high esteem by the public as miners because we do these things and ensure the continuity of life?” Of course no. On the contrary, our work is constantly subject to discussions in different environments, and we are constantly labeled with baseless accusations. As miners who build the future of our country and the world, we are trying to express ourselves and continue doing our jobs. We try to express on every platform that the mining industry and our miners are indispensable for Turkey to achieve its goals. Because we know very well that we do our job very well. We wholeheartedly believe that we will do much better with the power of our state, public support and the determination of our miners. Because we do mining in accordance with the rules and within the limits and laws defined by the state. We produce for our country and create employment for our country. If our country is to reach the level of contemporary civilizations targeted by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, we, as miners, will be at the heart of it. We, the miners, who struggle hard to bring the riches underground to the surface, will continue to do so. “We will work for our country and achieve its goals.”

Governor Yiğitbaşı: “Marble adorns the buildings of every civilization”

Describing marble as the gift of history and geography, Afyonkarahisar Governor Assoc. Dr. Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı said, “The most important works of all civilizations that lived on the Mediterranean coast, from Rome to Byzantium, from Seljuk to Ottoman, are the legacy of marble. In these lands, marble was used in the decorations and sculptures obtained from the archaeological studies carried out for the Hittite period, in theatres, statues and arenas of the Ancient Greek and Roman periods, in the palaces, baths, caravanserais, mosques and madrasah complexes of the Seljuk period, and in the mosques, minarets and fountains of the Ottoman period. “We see the best examples of his art,” he said.

Afyon’s exports in 2022 are 234 million dollars.

Informing that the marble blocks extracted from Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, Balıkesir and Kütahya are processed with developing technology and exported to all over the world, Yiğitbaşı continued his words as follows; “Our mineral exports throughout Turkey in 2022 were 6.5 billion dollars, and our natural stone exports were 2.9 billion dollars. Aegean Mineral Exporters Association’s 2022 mineral exports were 1.2 billion dollars, natural stone exports were 676 million dollars, and 234 million dollars of this was from Afyonkarahisar. In 2022, Afyonkarahisar has a share of 11.20 percent in Turkey’s total natural stone exports. In the first 9 months of 2023, Turkey’s overall mineral exports were 4.2 billion dollars and natural stone exports were 1.5 billion dollars. In the first 9 months of 2023, Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association mineral exports were 804 million dollars and natural stone exports were 510 million dollars. Our goal in the medium term will be to increase these figures. “Marble and other natural stones constitute an important export item in the Aegean Region, and I believe that increasing exports will, above all, make a significant contribution to solving our country’s inflation problem.”

Kılıçkaya; “Without mines, there would be no industrial production”

Mehmet Ali Kılıçkaya, General Manager of Exports, who defines mines as the supporter of our entire industrial production and therefore our exports, underlined that if it were not for our mines, we would not be able to produce in many industrial sectors, from iron and steel to automotive, from machinery to defense industry, from ship yacht manufacturing to air conditioning, from ceramics to electrical and electronics production.

General Manager Kılıçkaya said, “As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of our Republic, we are directing our work in a more determined and stronger way to set sail for new successes.” In a period when we are struggling to build, we always set our goals on moving further than yesterday.

MAPEG General Manager Narin: “The 2028 export target of the mining industry is 10 billion dollars”

Stating that the mining sector got the value it deserved in the Medium Term Program and the 12th Development Plan, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources MAPEG General Manager Arslan Narin stated that the public benefit of mining was highlighted and license assurance was provided in the MTP and 12th Development Plan.

Stating that the MTP and the 12th Development Plan have given them their homework as regulatory institutions in the mining sector, Narin said, “The 12th Development Plan has given them their homework. We are working to achieve the goals in the Development Program and become a net exporter in the Medium Term. In the 12th Development Plan, a target of 10 billion dollars was set for our 2028 mineral exports, and we believe that we will exceed this. “We will provide an environment for the mining industry,” he said.

Stating that when a sapling is planted, a forest is formed in 120 years,

General Director of Forestry Bekir Karacabey said, “Forests are the source of clean water and oxygen so that we can breathe. “It is not right to compare forests and mines with each other,” said Karacabey, adding, “Forests are carbon sink areas. Mines and forests are not enemies of each other. Mining and forestry are sustainable together, we all have a common responsibility to explain this correctly to the public. We have not focused on this issue until today. “This needs to be explained to the public effectively,” he found.

“The minerals have to be extracted from where they are located, we cannot say that we should extract them from another place, but we need to find a way to extract them without harming the environment and the living creatures in that environment,” said Karacabey and concluded his words as follows; “General Director of Forestry, Bekir Karacabey, added that the miners helped the forestry organization a lot in responding to forest fires and that they thanked the mining sector very much.

At the 5th Our Life Mining Workshop; Topics on the sector’s agenda were discussed: “Mining Perception and Realities in Turkey”, “How Should Mining Legislation Be for Sector Leadership and Sustainable Mining?”, “The Future of the Mining Sector from the Public Perspective”, “The Importance of Critical Raw Materials in Our Country’s Economy” and “Women in the Mining Sector”. .

EDITOR’S NOTES:

We have carefully followed the Workshops held for years.

For the Workshop held in Afyon this year; Thank you to the entire team who worked hard and put their minds into it, they kindly hosted us. Thank you…

The Workshop held in Afyon this year was an ordinary workshop, devoid of excitement, compared to previous workshops.

First of all, the fact that almost everyone included in the protocol took part in the opening speeches and the duration of their speeches distracted attention, became too long and disrupted the workshop program.

When the participants were monitored, we observed that the participation of sector representatives from Afyon and the heads of NGOs related to the sector did not cover the whole of our country, where the regional scale predominated.

It did not go unnoticed that the topics and guests of the sessions were carefully selected, and the hall was not empty almost all day. Every session had an audience. However, the MachineryEquipment production leg of the sector was missing.

There was one session in particular that; I would like to say a few words:

This session “Women in the Mining Industry” made me very excited. It was the first time such a session was held. I believe that the EMİB Board of Directors and especially Reyhan Sezgin made serious contributions to the topic and participants of this session. Thanks…

But of course we have our criticisms: First of all, we do not know what the criteria were in the selection of the speakers, but: We really looked for the firsts in this sector...

*DOTEK President Dear Zeynep Ekiz Atıcı

*EMİB first Female Board Member Dear Banu Bekişoğlu

*Dear Melike Alpay Özmen, former EMİB Board Member (received FEM certificate for the first time in the sector) *Legendary Name My dear sister Mualla Günay

*Our sister Estaş Marble Aysel, one of the oldest Travertine producers of Sivas - Her daughter dear Handan

*Zuhal Mansfeld

*ADM Marble Ayşegül Mutlu

*Atay Mermer- Dear Gamze

These are the first things that come to mind. Those who bite the dust of the industry are our brothers who work hard...

Except for our two friends, there was no one from these doyens in the hall. Maybe they weren’t invited, or maybe they couldn’t come...

But their names should have been announced, their efforts should have been remembered and they should have been thanked...

In addition, DOTEK President Ms. Zeynep Ekiz Atıcı watched the sessions throughout the Workshop together with the Board of Directors. I don’t know what he thinks, but the ignoring of an institution representative cast a shadow over the Workshop...

Of course, the criteria determined in the selection of the speakers were taken into consideration, there is no doubt... They were all respected and special names. We congratulate them for their sectoral contributions. However, with the idea that it is much more important to convey their experiences in order to set an example for our young friends in the sector; Instead of detailed CVs, I would like them to discuss their experiences, the issues that young people should care about, and encourage them... We could not see many people from those teams in the pleasant hall, but...

These criticisms are what we see when we look at the big picture.

Of course we know our limits! Our wish is to demand that we be treated more carefully and competently...

As a female viewer and representative, I am forgiven if we have offended...