The trona, which has a 15 billion dollar market in the world is also the 10th most commonly used chemical. Trona is used as a raw material for glass, in detergent and cleaning production, as food and drug additive and as additive in chemicals.
FATİH ALTAYLI: A PROUD FACILITY
I swear that yesterday, I was proud of my Group’s industry branch.
In a barren land in Ankara, extracting a mine that is 800 meters underneath the earth and turning it into an asset that will bring Turkey 800 million dollars a year is serious business.
You can say, “There are others who make more exports”.
True, but making 4,5 lira import for 5 lira export is one thing, and making a total of 800 million dollars worth of exports, without using a single cents import.
For example, the automotive sector has to export $ 1.6 billion to create an added value of $ 800 million.
The situation in the electronics sector is not that different.
In other words, the exports of this plant alone will be equivalent to $ 1.6 billion of automotive exports.
Another issue that is at least as proud as this is the production technology there. Elsewhere in the world, natural soda mines, which only exists in the US, create a complete environmental disaster. Because it is a mining that results in a very high rate of waste and the transformation of the earth into a desert.
This facility is a facility that produces almost zero waste and is internationally green certified. There is almost no damage to the environment. On the contrary, 1 million trees and various plants in the field of mining will be produced and it is such environmentally friendly that it will allow beekeeping.
In addition, the most beautiful thing is that this environmental mining technology is one hundred percent Turkish production, Turkish patented production.
This new facility will make 14 percent of the world’s natural soda production alone.
Moreover, in the construction of this facility no money loan was used from either a Turkish state bank or the state.
MUHARREM SARIKAYA: THOSE CARRYIN “KAZAN” FORWARD
Those who knew the land and the soil of this country said, “There is a mine here.”
Those who lived tens of thousands of kilometers away wrote their “feasibility report”, considering their own interests, claiming that the mine could not be extracted.
The bureaucracy believed them instead of us.
However, the writer of the feasibility report were the ones who extracted the mine in their own country.
Monopoly would be shaken if it was to be extracted in Turkey.
Those who made their own beliefs did not dread, undertook the whole responsibility, despite the claim in the feasibility reports from the USA suggesting that there was a huge underground sea above the mine.
They insisted that there was no water on a scale of sea size there.
The politics also heard the voice of those who pursued their belief in 2004; they noticed the truth of what the locals say, not the reports of the others.
THEY PRODUCED THE TECHNOLOGY
However, by 2009, when it was surfaced, they developed the example technology and got the patent.
They showed the public that this county has enough trona, which is the basic substance, from dust to make-up materials, from glass to textile.
As if it was not enough, they also showed how a public-private sector partnership should actually be.
They realized a similar social responsibility practiced in Çayırhan before, and along with building a school for the disabled, they ensured the restoration of the authentic stone houses of the region true to their origin.
They did not stop there; they produced the best grape varieties and pekmez with 30 decares of vineyards; while they shared the agricultural knowledge, they had with the surrounding villagers.
WORLD LEADER
While they struggled to extract the mine, Rio Tinto company, which was allowed to extract the same mine in Kazan region, could not go one step further despite the passing 15 years.
They claimed that it was impossible to extract the mine by the method that was practiced in USA.
An agreement was made with Rio Tinto company, the mining area was purchased and 1.5 billion dollars were invested, thus, in 2.5 years, they extracted the so-called “Unextractable” mine started to export it as an export product.
And also, they generated 380 megawatts of electricity with the mining technology.
Ciner Group Kazan Soda and Electricity Facility, which has zero impact on the environment and which has “Green Product Certification”, made Turkey the world leader in trona production. This means that, excluding China, 25% of the world market uses the trona extracted by Ciner Group from Turkey.
Being unique is not limited to this; in terms of both the product and the creation of new technology, they extract the only mine that can be wholly exported to more than 40 countries in the world.
Without a single import entry, they make $ 800 million worth of exports.
The facility, opened by the President Erdogan yesterday, provides employment to 2 thousand 200 people, and also started working towards bringing beekeeping to Kahramankazan region with a hundred thousand saplings, and which will reach a million.
To sum up, not only a facility was opened in Kazan yesterday, but there also was success story of those who carry boiler cooking the meals of the country.
NİHAL BENGİSU KARACA: FROM “IMPOSSIBLE” REPORTS to WORLD LEADERSHIP
Yesterday, Kazan Soda Elektrik Üretim AS facilities were opened with Ciner Group’s investment cost of 1.5 billion USD. Thanks to the plant in question, Turkey become the largest “trona” producer in the world.
Soda ash is obtained from the “trona” mine. Beypazarı, Sincan and Kazan in Turkey has a lot more trona than boron. Trona mine is needed for heavy and light soda ash raw materials used in many areas from detergent to glass, from paper production to textile, from chemical industry to nuclear power plants.
Why do we hear this mine just now? It could have contributed to our production, to our industry much sooner, but it did not. Why now?
Turgay Ciner gave the answer yesterday at the opening speech:
“The feasibility studies that were made after paying high consultancy fees to the world’s leading foreign companies for the Beypazarı trona area in the 80’s have reported that it was not possible to extract this mine. These records are in the archives of various organizations.”
However, how was it possible that the extraction of the mine and the production of soda ash raw material were possible?
By taking the risk. By trying the solution mining, a method that has never been applied to the trona mines anywhere in the world, by working until success.
The result is successful. We could extract the mines and also not the patent of the method is owned by Turkey.
There is a giant plant on the Beypazarı trona mine that was reported to be impossible. The trona produced in Kazan Soda and Beypazarı Trona plants is exported to the whole world and provide 800 million dollar foreign exchange entry to Turkey. The important thing is that this export figure was realized without any imports in the export-related items. 800 million dollars export, without an even a $ 1 import entry. This data is important. Because the notions of “national” and “domestic” are more valuable when they are supported.
SEVİLAY YILMAN: THE LARGEST ONE OF THE WORLD, THE PRIDE OF TURKEY: KAZAN SODA
They say it cannot be described but only experienced! This is also the case with Kazan Soda Facility, which has been opened in the Kahramankazan District of Ankara, which was identified with the coup attempt of 15 July. It cannot be explained, you need to go and see. A great investment, a great job! It was not just me, but everyone was speechless with the glory of the giant plant in yesterday’s opening. It was quite cold, we could not see the entire facility but my esteemed readers, I want to say that Kazan Soda is a project that will make every citizen of the Republic of Turkey with its 2.7 million tonnes of production capacity and which will provide employment to a total of 2 thousand 200 people. The biggest project of Turkey in the recent years, all carried out with the local and national equity.
As you know, this huge investment project was opened jointly by the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak. I do not know whether you can see the opening and the speeches made there, but the trona in Kazan Soda Plant is a product that can be obtained entirely from domestic mineral resources. The entire production will be exported and Kozan Soda Production Plant, which will meet 14 percent of the total natural trona needs of the world will make a great contribution to close the current account deficit of Turkey with its domestic and national production.
The volume of exports, with 100 percent added value, will reach 600 million dollars annually. With Eti Soda plant, one of the Ciner Group subsidiaries, this export volume will reach 800 million dollars. This product is currently exported to Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Pakistan, India, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and many other countries, and it will become “the product exported to most countries in Turkey”.
With best wishes, enjoy it... A huge investment, a huge job! I hope this huge accomplishment will contribute to tell that being national, patriotism is being able to give what you earn from Turkey back to Turkey. And I hope it sets an example to the businesspeople that are trying to take what they earn abroad due to the difficult times faced by Turkey.
ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM: THE FIRST WORLD LEADERSHIP IN INDUSTRY IS WITH TRONA
In the recent years, we have not seen any the industrial investments starting from scratch. Machinery and equipment investments were not rising until the third quarter of last year. The most concrete example of the revitalization of investments since the third quarter was the opening of the Kazan Soda Electricity Generation Facility opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. This investment of Ciner Group has made Turkey the world's largest trona producer. For the first time, we became a world leader in an industrial product.
- The trona, which has a 15 billion dollar market in the world is also the 10th most commonly used chemical. Trona is used as a raw material for glass, in detergent and cleaning production, as food and drug additive and as additive in chemicals.
- Kazan Soda Electricity Generation was founded on a thousand-acre area in the Kahramankazan district of Ankara with an investment of USD 1.5 billion. Here, the trona mine is extracted from 650 meters below the ground with pipes without any men and machinery. Hot water is supplied from one end of the pipe, and the melted trona is extracted from the other end of the pipe.
- The waste, which is nearly 75% in the world’s production, is close to zero and it comes out as salt. This salt can be used on roads. In this respect, the plants have the most environmentally friendly production technology. This new method has also received a worldwide patent.
- Electricity is also produced in the facilities. 3 thousand people are employed, with 2.200 people directly and 800 people indirectly.
- The Kahramankazan trona reserve can cover 46 years of production with 1.65 billion tonnes. With an annual production capacity of 2.7 million tonnes, Kazan facilities alone account for 14% of the world’s total natural trona.
- The mine is extracted and processed and the entire production is exported. The annual export amount is 600 million dollars. All of these exports are made with domestic support.
- With the facility in Beypazarı, the Ciner Group’s trona export is worth 800 million dollars.
- 33 percent of the world’s demand is met by natural trona, and 67 percent by synthetic trona. Turkey became the largest producer in the world both in natural and synthetic trona. Along with Kazan Soda, producing 2.7 million tonnes in Beypazarı, Eti Soda is producing 1.8 million tonnes. Ciner Resources, a trona producer purchased in the US, produces 2.5 million tonnes. Thus, the Ciner Group has become the world’s largest producers of trona with 7 million tonnes of production. Ciner Group is followed by German Solvay with 6.5 million tons and Indian Tata with 5 million tonnes.
- According to the information given by Ciner Group President Turgay Ciner who spoke at the opening, the facilities were built in 2 years after permission and bureaucratic procedures for 5 years. Ciner said, “We did not use even $ 1 of imports for the $ 800 million in exports. We provide the biggest private sector employment in Ankara, with 5,500 people directly and with 10 thousand people indirectly.
GÜNTAY SIMSEK: THE STORY OF THE WORLD LEADERSHIP IN THE NATIONAL AND DOMESTIC MINING WITH ITS GENUINE TECHNOLOGY
In the last year, while we have been struggling with strange, interesting attempts that will cause problems for the future of the country, on the economy side, there are developments that foreigners cannot understand. One of these took place yesterday in Kazan in Ankara, which was given gave the name “Kahraman” (Hero) due to its fighting against the coup attempt. Kazan Soda Production Plant, of the Ciner Group which was commissioned with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, also has a very important technological achievement story. Because these mining fields, which have been owned by foreign countries for many years, have not been extracted, turned into products and brought to the country economy until Ciner Group.
Kazan Soda Plant was commissioned as an important investment that made the world dependent on Turkey, further from freeing Turkey from depending outside in the soda ash that is produced from trona mine and used in almost all areas. Along with the previous soda plant that was commissioned in 2009 by Mr. Erdogan, the fact that it will export $ 800 million a year without a single penny import tells a lot.
CINER GROUP IS IN THE USA WITH SOLUTION TECHNIQUE
The experiences obtained in Kazan Soda Production Plant, which was brought to Turkish economy with the genuine solution technique that was developed fully by Turkish engineers and entered into the world literature will be transferred to the world. In Yesterday’s opening ceremony, Ciner Group President Turgay Ciner, did not mention the investment in the USA. However, following such success stories closely, the President Erdogan announced this news in the opening ceremony of Kazan Soda and Elektrik Üretim AS plants, saying “Ciner Group is investing in this area in the USA”. Berat Albayrak, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, used the expression “Not having a string outside” when he spoke about an energy and mining project that he placed more importance than the national, genuine and domestic projects, emphasized and will use as an example. Kazan Soda Production Plant is an investment in our mining, chemical and electricity production activities, which belongs to us with everything but extends beyond the mainstream and extends further with this investment.
Trona is a sodium carbonate mineral. The most important natural raw material of industrial soda ash production. Soda ash is used in the glass industry, detergent, nuclear power plant and so on, so there is no substitute for anything else. Beypazarı region was also the second largest in the world in terms of trona reserves, but it was not producing until the facility was established by Ciner Group in 2009. It stayed as a reserve underground. The first success story was written with the plant opened in 2009. In addition, yesterday the rest again. It will continue even further.
WHY DID NOT WE EXTRACTED TRONA FOR YEARS?
In 1979, the trona reserve in Beypazarı was discovered by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), and in the 80’s Etibank wanted to operate with foreign cooperation. However, it could not be successful from various reasons. Then the company named Eti Soda, which is a partner company of Ciner Group (74%) and Eti Maden (26%), was founded in 1998. However, they had to wait 11 years to extract the mine. The reason is that both the investment and the technology are required for converting the mine into a soda ash. Foreigners said, “The trona mine in Beypazarı cannot be extracted,” leaving it to the flow of history. Nevertheless, Ciner Group searches for methods and techniques to extract this mine, is working with Turkish engineers. Finally, they make the point with the determination that this mine can be extracted using the solution technique.
Until this time, soda was supplied from two sources in the world. America produced soda ash from natural sources, while Europe developed and produced it synthetically. Turkey Sise Cam also produces and consumes soda ash from synthetic sources. But with previously “Eti Soda” and then with yesterday’s opening of “Kazan Soda”, Turkey will no longer need the expensive synthetic soda ash.
Turgut Ozal was also interested in the Trona mine. Towards the end of the 80’s, Etibank collaborated with the American FMC to operate this mine. Then FMC did not resume the project by saying “It does not have trade value”. A letter was written to the FMC officials from Etibank and they were invited again, but they were not interested in the project and underlined that it did not have trade value. Then the Belgian Solvay, Europe’s largest manufacturer of synthetic soda ash, was invited. American management and FMX company sent Richard Perle, who was a consultant to George Bush, to Etibank- Solvay cooperation, warning that FMC had an agreement for the operation of trona mine. President Özal, who received the message, called Etibank officials and received information and put FMC’s non-commercial report in front of Perle. Therefore, the FMC book was closed and the Belgian Solvay page was opened. Was it over? No.
Since Solvay was a small partner this time, the problem of cartel emerged in Europe. Solvay’s request to be the big player was not answered with “Yes” by Turkey, and the project was shelved. When the Turkish engineers under the roof of “Eti Soda” established with the partnership of Ciner Group and Eti Maden invented the solution technology that freed Turkey from foreigners and started to extract the mine, Ciner Group purchased the mining field, which was opened yesterday, from the Americans and brought turkey a huge, exemplary plant that is 3 times bigger than the previous one. I hope it will bring the best for our country and the Ciner Group. However, it is necessary to know the contribution of the President Erdogan and the unforgettable entrepreneurial spirit of Ciner Group President, Turgay Ciner.
