Turkey’s Strategic Balancing Act in Critical Minerals Competition

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Highlights

• Turkey pursues a dual-track strategy engaging with both Western Minerals Security Partnership and Chinese rare earth collaborations.
• The country leverages its boron leadership and newly discovered rare earth reserves to strengthen international mineral partnerships.
• Ankara aims to balance Eastern and Western alliances while positioning itself in the global critical minerals supply chain and energy transition.

In an era of intensifying competition over critical minerals essential for renewable energy, aerospace, and defense, Turkey is pursuing a dual-track strategy to align with both Western and Chinese interests as Rare Earth Exchanges has reported.  While participating in the Western-led Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) to enhance policy dialogue and strengthen ties with the EU and the U.S., Turkey simultaneously deepens cooperation with China. This was exemplified by an October 2024 memorandum of understanding between Türkiye and China to boost collaboration on rare earth elements and mining.  Rare Earth Exchanges has chronicled this dynamic since our founding Oct 11, 2024.

The recent article was authored by the China-Global South Project (CGSP) (opens in a new tab), formerly known as The China-Africa Project. This is a non-profit independent multimedia organization dedicated to exploring every aspect of China’s engagement with the Global South.

Turkey’s approach leverages its dominant position as the leading global supplier of boron, critical for industrial applications, while also seeking Chinese investment to expand its rare earth mining and processing capabilities, particularly following the discovery of a significant reserve in Eskişehir a city and province in the northwestern Turkey.

This partnership aligns with broader bilateral relations, including Chinese involvement in Turkey’s planned nuclear projects, underscoring nuclear energy as a cornerstone of Turkey’s decarbonization strategy toward net-zero emissions by 2053.

However, Turkey’s strategy has faced domestic scrutiny over foreign mining contracts and potential long-term dependency on global powers.

As Ankara seeks to balance Eastern and Western alliances, the sustainability of its strategy amidst shifting geopolitical dynamics will determine its role in the global critical minerals supply chain and energy transition landscape.