Overview Turkey is best known for the production of industrial minerals, from which it has been a prolific producer. However, due to its highly varied geology, the country has potential to host several other minerals and metals. Gold and base metal exploration and development has been on the increase along with the number of foreign investors active in the country. The mining industry has suffered during the Asian crises, as most of its trading partners are situated in Eastern Asia. As a result exports have dropped sharply, in particular to Russia, a major trading partner.
Turkey has several large state owned conglomerates which are vertically integrated.
Parts of these are now being privatised, with varying amounts of interest being shown in different sectors. One of Turkey's largest integrated mining and beneficiation company's is Eti Holdings which has several smaller subsidiary units responsible for several mining activities throughout Turkey. Turkey's iron and steel industry's are the most integrated, focusing on an export market. Chromite is Turkey's largest metal product, followed by some smaller gold, base metal and bauxite production. Turkey produces limited amounts of high arsenic bearing antimony, with 32t produced in 1998.