01.09.2026 12:30
A critical step has been taken for the Rare Earth Elements reserve in the Beylikova and Sivrihisar districts of Eskişehir. By a presidential decision, it was resolved to expropriate urgently 223 immovables in the Karkın, Okçu, and Kızılcaören neighborhoods. In the field with an ore potential of approximately 694 million tons, it is planned to establish mining activities as well as production, storage, and infrastructure facilities.
The long-awaited move has come for the Rare Earth Elements (REE) reserve located in the Beylikova and Sivrihisar districts of Eskişehir, which is of vital importance for technology and the defense industry. With a presidential decree, an expropriation decision was made for 223 immovables in three neighborhoods, paving the way for strategic mining and industrial activities in the region.
MASSIVE FACILITY DEVELOPMENT ACROSS 249 HECTARES
The expropriation decision covering the Karkın, Okçu, and Kızılcaören neighborhoods of the Beylikova and Sivrihisar districts encompasses a vast area totaling 249 hectares. In line with the decree that has come into effect, not only mining extraction operations will be carried out in this huge site. It is also planned to establish integrated facilities that will ensure the safe storage of waste generated by mining activities, along with industrial production plants, extensive storage areas, and necessary infrastructure investments.
THE WORLD'S SECOND-LARGEST RESERVE AFTER CHINA
The Beylikova mining site stands out as Turkey's most notable underground wealth due to its Rare Earth Elements potential. To date, 125,000 meters of drilling have been carried out in the region, and around 60,000 samples have been analyzed in detail in laboratories. Following the Bayan Obo site in China, Beylikova, with its massive ore potential of approximately 694 million tons, is recognized as one of the world's second-largest reserve areas.
THE CORNERSTONE OF THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY
Data obtained from the site confirms that 17 different Rare Earth Elements are present in certain parts of the ore. These elements are used as critical raw materials in civil technologies such as smartphones, computers, electric vehicles, and wind turbines, as well as in radar systems, next-generation aircraft, and modern defense technologies. This situation elevates the reserve in Eskişehir beyond mere mining activity, placing it at the center of Turkey's strategy for independence in high technology and the defense industry.
GLOBAL COMPETITION AND HIGH VALUE-ADDED TARGET
Globally, China holds an overwhelming dominance in REE production and the separation of these elements. In a conjuncture where the USA is seeking alternative sources for access to strategic minerals and this issue is being discussed at the pinnacle of international diplomacy, this giant reserve in Turkey is expected to enter the radar of global markets. Experts emphasize that Turkey's real success lies not in extracting this ore from underground, but in developing the complex technology to separate the extracted elements. It is stated that processing the resource in Eskişehir with advanced technology to transform it into high value-added products, rather than exporting it merely as raw material, would make a historic contribution to the national economy.