President’s Message

Dear Members and Valued Industry Stakeholders,

The mining industry, one of Turkey’s most vital strategic powers, is a fundamental cornerstone of economic development, generating value across all areas of life from industry to energy, defense to construction. As the Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association (İMİB), we will continue to work with determination in this new era to transform this vast potential into a stronger export structure, higher added value, and a more sustainable production model.

Today, we are in an era where global trade is being reshaped, and global competition is being redefined not just by production, but along the axes of branding, technology, design, and sustainability. The Turkish mining sector is no longer evaluated solely by the natural resources extracted from underground, but by its processed products, design power, production quality, and global vision. Our exact goal is to sit at the heart of this transformation and elevate Turkish mining to a much stronger position in the global league.

We believe that our sector’s potential far exceeds its current export volume, which surpassed $6 billion as of 2025. With its natural stone reserves, mineral diversity, production capability, and entrepreneurial spirit, Turkey possesses the power to secure a much larger share of the global mining market. In the upcoming period, our primary objective will be to increase the export of branded and high-value-added products. This is because we must now become an industry that exports design, quality, brand, and prestige—not just tonnage.

In line with this, we will continue to expand the global brand journey of Turkish natural stone. Through promotional activities at the world’s most prestigious architectural and construction platforms, such as the World Architecture Festival, Coverings, and MIPIM, we have positioned Turkish stone not merely as a building material, but as an essential element of architectural culture, aesthetics, and design. In the new term, we will continue to elevate our Turkish Stones and Land of Stone projects to increase the visibility of Turkish natural stone within the global architecture community.

Sustainability, Technology, and Market Expansion

Sustainability will be one of the most critical focus areas of this new era. In today’s global markets, delivering quality production alone is no longer sufficient. Industries that operate in harmony with the environment, reduce their carbon footprint, manage rehabilitation processes effectively, and adopt nature-respecting production models are moving to the forefront. We believe a model is entirely possible where mining is not pitted against the environment, but is instead conducted sustainably in harmony with it. Agriculture, the environment, and mining are not mutually exclusive alternatives; rather, they are sectors that can thrive together through accurate planning. Embracing this approach, we will heavily focus on initiatives that strengthen our sector’s compliance with environmental criteria, contribute to the green transition, and support sustainable production models.

Technology and digitalization will also define the future of our industry. Through smart mining applications, data analytics, AI-powered production systems, and advanced processing technologies, we will achieve a more efficient, safer, and more competitive production structure. As İMİB, we will continue to develop the necessary projects to prepare our industry for this transformation.

Diversifying our export markets will be another top priority in the coming period. We aim to establish a more effective presence in rising markets, particularly in the United States, China, India, and Africa. We will continue to support our exporters in reaching new clients and markets through trade delegations, buying missions, and international fair organizations. Concurrently, to resolve the chronic issues of our sector, we will strengthen our engagements with Ankara to build a more robust communication framework regarding licensing processes, permit mechanisms, and bureaucratic hurdles.

A Participatory Management Approach for the Future

In this new term, one of our greatest priorities at İMİB will be a more participatory management approach that fosters collective wisdom and involves all industry stakeholders in the process. We are fully aware that the mining sector is a highly complex, multi-layered ecosystem with diverse fields, distinct production structures, and varying needs. Therefore, we will operate under a solution-oriented and agile management model that values the perspective of every single industry representative.

Today, we are not just discussing the present; we are talking about the future of Turkish mining. Our goal is to bring our country’s underground wealth into the economy through an environmentally conscious, high-value-added, and sustainable approach, while establishing Turkish mining as a powerful global brand.

We firmly believe that our industry possesses the potential to write even greater success stories, driven by its production power, entrepreneurial spirit, and an institutional heritage spanning over half a century. As the Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association, we remain determined to work, produce, and carry Turkish mining into the future alongside all our stakeholders on this journey.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all our miners, exporters, members, and everyone who has contributed to our Association from past to present for their dedication to our industry. I sincerely wish that our achievements continue to grow for the benefit of both our sector and our country.

Metin Çekiç

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association (İMİB)