Mineral Resources Assessment Workshop

14.12.2024

The workshop was organized by TMMOB Chamber of Mining Engineers Diyarbakır Branch and supported by Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DTSO), Diyarbakır Organized Industrial Zone (Diyarbakır OSB), Turkish Miners Association (TMD), All Marble Natural Stone and Machinery Manufacturers Association (TÜMMER), Diyarbakır Marble Miners Association (DİMAD) and the main sponsor was DİMER Group.

The opening speeches of the workshop were delivered by the chairman of the organizing committee, the supporting NGO Presidents and Representatives, Ayhan YÜKSEL, President of the Chamber of Mining Eng. Chamber President Ayhan YÜKSEL and Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan HATUN. In the opening speeches; the general situation of mining in the country and the region, the necessity of environmentally sensitive mining on the axis of human service, the fact that miners are behind in explaining themselves to the society compared to other sectors and the necessity of creating a mining literacy in the society came to the fore.

In the first session of the program, which consisted of a total of seven presentations in two sessions and a final evaluation panel, presentations on the themes of “Geology and Mineral Deposits of the Region”, “Natural Stone as Cultural Heritage” and “The current situation of marble production in the region” were made. The topics of general interest in the presentations can be summarized as; the importance of exploring the richness of geological mineral deposits on the Bitlis-Zagros rim belt of the region, the richness of natural stone in the region as cultural heritage and the application procedures in accordance with world standards and the concepts and examples of geosite area, marble diversity throughout the country and in the region, regional nomenclature, production, sales and export status of marble in the region according to block and processed product types, market difficulties in the economic environment where mining-based cost inputs make it difficult to compete in the world market.

In the second session; presentations were made on “MAPEG TÜRMES project, (Turkey-wide Project for Determination of Rehabilitated Sites and Mining Social Responsibility Studies)”, “Contribution of Mining Activities in the Region to the National Economy”, “Responsible Sustainable Mining”, “A Policy Framework for the Turkish Mining Sector”. The point reached in the MAPEG TÜRMES project, targeted applications and database details were explained, misinformation about mining was circulated to the public (some environmentalist NGOs create a negative image for mining in the public opinion with incorrect interpretations and calculations about the number of licenses and areas) and MAPEG's work on this issue was explained. TMD President Mehmet YILMAZ made presentations on Sustainable Mining and the state of Mining, and MMO President Ayhan YÜKSEL made presentations on the state of the sector and the Mining framework policy.

In the panel part, under the moderation of DIMAD President; President of Mining Eng. Chamber President, TMD President, YMGV President, TOBB Mining Assembly President and D.Bakır Chamber of Environmental Eng. Before the panel, İ.Halil KIRŞAN and D.Bakır Environmental Engineer. Chamber Co-President made a short presentation.