Mining and Economy Discussed at IMMAT
At the opening session of IMMAT – the 10th International Mining Machinery and Technologies Congress – economist and journalist Meliha Okur, economic policy expert Turgay Bozoğlu, and Vice President of the Foundation for the Development of Domestic Mining Ali Emiroğlu came together. In the session titled “Mining and Economy”, a wide range of topics were discussed, from mining culture to environmental policies, from occupational safety to legislation and mining economics.
Hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized by İZFAŞ, MINEX – the 11th International Mining, Natural Resources and Technologies Fair – is being held at Fuar Izmir. Simultaneously, the 10th International Mining Machinery and Technologies Congress (IMMAT-2025), organized by the Izmir Branch of the Chamber of Mining Engineers of Türkiye (TMMOB), is also taking place. Bringing together academia and industry representatives, the congress contributes to technical and scientific development in the field of mining. The opening session, titled “Mining and Economy”, featured Meliha Okur, Turgay Bozoğlu, and Ali Emiroğlu as speakers.
“Added Value and Transparency are Essential in Mining”
Journalist and writer Meliha Okur emphasized the importance of Türkiye extracting its minerals in an environmentally sensitive manner, using high technology, and investing in people. She stressed that the approach should go beyond merely extracting and selling raw minerals: “Mining can contribute much more strongly to the national economy through value-added production models. At this point, the responsibility lies not only with politicians but also with civil society organizations. Together, we must create a transparent and sustainable mining industrialization drive.”
Okur also underlined the need to support all employees in the mining sector, from engineers to workers: “When proper and transparent practices are implemented, gaining the public’s trust will be much easier.” She reminded that Türkiye is a country rich in biodiversity and noted that mining should be carried out while preserving these values. According to her, the sector’s ability to communicate this transparently is crucial for social peace.
“Safety Culture is Strengthening”
Ali Emiroğlu, Vice President of the Foundation for the Development of Domestic Mining, evaluated the transformations occurring in the mining sector both globally and in Türkiye. Referring to the Soma disaster, he pointed out that in the past, working conditions in Türkiye were very harsh and occupational health and safety measures were inadequate.
Emiroğlu stated that today, mining culture, perspectives, and technology are advancing rapidly: “From ventilation systems in mines to dust suppression, technology has progressed in many areas. Mining in Türkiye today is nothing like it was 40 years ago – nor can it be. Teams formed by the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Governorships, and the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs conduct inspections at least four times a year, especially in underground mining.”
He concluded by stressing: “Accidents are preventable. Occupational health and safety is a process and holds great importance for everyone, from public institutions to employers, and from blue-collar to white-collar workers.”
“Green Mining Approach Comes to the Fore”
Economic policy expert Turgay Bozoğlu highlighted the critical role of the mining sector within Türkiye's overall economic structure. He emphasized that mining is not limited to underground resources but is directly linked to industry, foreign trade, technology, and employment.
“The world is undergoing a major transformation. At the center of this lies mining. The energy transition, electric vehicles, batteries, and renewable energy technologies are rapidly increasing the demand for minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt. What we call the green economy is, in fact, a mining economy. The world is shifting from petroleum to minerals. However, mining is now evaluated not only in terms of profitability but also in terms of environmental and social impacts. At this point, the concept of green mining comes to the fore.”
Bozoğlu also addressed the environmental and social implications of Türkiye’s mining law. He stressed the need for Türkiye to move from being a raw material exporter to producing value-added products.
He concluded: “With environmental regulations in line with EU standards, R&D investments, and effective inspections, long-term, transparent, and sustainable mining is possible.”
