The Sale of Rare Earth Elements to the USA is Out of the Question

Minister Bayraktar answered Turgay Güler's questions on Ülke TV live broadcast.

Target: Supply Security

Pointing out that Türkiye's energy demand will triple in the next 30 years, Minister Bayraktar emphasized that their goal is to meet the increasing energy demand uninterruptedly and to secure supply. Stating that they aim not to leave an unsought place in oil and natural gas, Bayraktar said, "There are new discoveries, and they will continue to be." Bayraktar also stated that Türkiye has become a giant energy fleet.

2 Billion Dollars a Year from Gabar

Minister Bayraktar, who also gave information about the oil production in Gabar, said, "Gabar means 2 billion dollars every year. We were paying this 2 billion dollars to buy oil from outside. We don't pay now, that money stays in our pockets," he said. Bayraktar also stated that 3 thousand 500 young people work in the region today. Bayraktar said, “Gabar is one of the places where we plan to increase production with new discoveries. Şırnak, Hakkari, Van; we are very hopeful about that part" he said.

Rock Production in Diyarbakır

Explaining the studies on rock oil, Bayraktar stated that they will drill 24 in four fields in Diyarbakır. Bayraktar also emphasized that they are considering applying a similar method in Thrace for gas.

Drilling in 3 Land Fields in Somalia

Reminding that they are conducting seismic research in the Somali seas, Bayraktar said, "The data is being analyzed, I hope we can make a drilling decision after the result of these is revealed in January. The drilling decision means that we are hopeful from the field," he said. Stating that there are also studies on land fields in Somalia, Bayraktar said that they are preparing for drilling in 3 land fields.

New Partnerships

Stating that they are trying to conclude important talks in Libya, Bayraktar said, "We took a 30 percent share in the new fields in Azerbaijan this year; in the Şafak-Asiman Field. We are very interested in Kazakhstan, we have studies there. We became a partner in one sea area in Pakistan, now we are preparing for new tenders. We are looking at partnerships in sea fields and land fields there," he said. Stating that Türkiye only produces 15 thousand barrels per day in Iraq, Bayraktar stated that this should increase 10-15 times. Bayraktar noted that he has a lot of work in Iraq, Basra, Kirkuk and Northern Iraq.

The Cheapest After Turkmen Gas

Responding to the allegations that 'LNG was expensive from the USA', Minister Bayraktar said, "Every number they say is wrong." Stating that there are 4 price formation centers in the world, Bayraktar said, "The cheapest of these, by far, the cheapest is Henry Hub in America. The price you get with that index is the cheapest price. Especially with the abundance of American LNG, we received Henry Hub indexed offers. These are currently becoming the cheapest gas in terms of our imports in the contracts we have received after 2027. In other words, Turkmenistan gas is the cheapest, after that it is American LNG," he said. Stating that they signed agreements with a total value of 43 billion dollars, Bayraktar noted that they will receive 143 billion cubic meters of gas by 2045. Stating that they bought gas from the USA in very competitive, good prices and very flexible conditions, Bayraktar added that Türkiye has the right to sell gas to any customer when there is no need.

They Don'T Know The Subject

Pointing out that no spokesman of the main opposition did not have a single statement about the rare earth element, Bayraktar said, "Because they do not know about it, they do not know about it." Bayraktar also stated that Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality applied to the court in order to cancel the EIA in order not to establish the pilot facility in Eskişehir Beylikova.

NTE Sales Are Out Of The Question

Responding to the allegations that 'rare earth elements are sold to the USA', Bayraktar said that there is absolutely no such thing. Bayraktar said, "The agreement we made and signed in America was also a nuclear-related agreement. If we had done it about rare earth elements, be sure, they would have declared it too, we would have declared it," he said.

There Is A Thorium In The Field

Emphasizing that Beylikova Field is the field with the second largest NTE reserve in the world, Bayraktar said, "The field in Beylikova is a field that was discovered by MTA for thorium purposes many years ago. There is thorium in this field. The Thorium field was later transferred to Eti Maden in the 1990s, again the company of our state. Eti Maden is drilling 125 kilometers here over the years. In more than 10 years," he said.

Our Goal Is To Lay The Foundation Next Year

Noting that they started working on purification by establishing a pilot facility in 2020 after the exploration here, Bayraktar said, "These continue intensively. We implemented the pilot facility here in 2023. The facility has been established, it is working. Currently, our production continues there in the pilot facility. Now in the second phase, we are working on transforming this place into an industrial facility, that is, a larger-scale facility. Our goal in the next year is to lay the foundation here and to implement this facility in 2 years." He made his statement.

Purification Level is in the 93 Percent Band

Stating that universities and research institutions related to obtaining purification technology are in an effort, Bayraktar said, “We are also in an effort to get technology faster, this is not a secret. It's a reasonable goal to be. It exists in China. We are meeting with some countries in Europe, Canada, we are meeting with Australia," he said. Bayraktar pointed out that they are working on how to raise the purification level, which is currently 92-93 percent.

It will be operated by the state

Bayraktar said, "Now a bill has been supposedly presented. No matter how you look at it, it stays in your hands. They wrote some minerals twice, some did not; 'Sir, let it be operated by the state.' Already, Eti Maden is a company that is 100 percent owned by our state. Moreover, we have the current law. According to this law, it says, 'If there is uranium in a mine, if there is thorium, this place is operated by the state. There is already. Therefore, since there is a thorium in this field, this place will be operated by the state anyway," he said. Stating that work is being carried out in the search phase in Isparta, Bayraktar said that there are also NTE reserves in Malatya Hekimhan and Sivas.

First Production in Akkuyu in 2026

Stating that the works continue at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Bayraktar stated that the commissioning of the first reactor is planned in 2026. Bayraktar pointed out that they aim to have 20 thousand megawatts of nuclear power in 2050.