On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the country’s first boron carbide plant, with an investment cost of $80 million.
In his speech at the inauguration ceremony of the Bandirma factory in the northwestern state of Baliskir, Erdogan indicated that the factory is the first of its kind in Turkey and one of the few factories in the world in this field.
He pointed out that Turkey plans to establish a similar factory in the neighboring state of Kutahya with a production capacity of 5,000 tons, “through the experience that we will gain in the Bandirma facility for the production of boron carbide.”
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He stressed his country’s determination to benefit from all its resources, from raw materials to the final product.
Erdogan revealed his country’s intention to convert 694 million tons of its reserves of rare earth elements in the state of Eskisehir (northwest) into profits through a facility that processes 1,200 tons of ore annually.
He noted that the boron carbide plant in Balışekir makes Turkey an important player in the production and export of the third hardest material in the world, in addition to increasing the added value of its boron mine to more than 300 times, based on the concept of “from substance to substance.”
Emphasizing that boron carbide is a desirable and preferred product in many industrial fields due to its great resistance to high temperatures, strength and durability, Erdogan pointed out that boron carbide is indispensable for defense industries with areas of use such as shields and corrosion-resistant parts and in nuclear facilities.
He renewed his government’s determination to raise Turkey to the ranks of the 10 largest economies in the world.
He said, “We are moving quickly to make our country a center for natural gas in production, transportation and trade.”
The Bandirma plant provides jobs for 279 people with a production capacity of 1,000 tons of boron carbide annually.
Boron is used in strategic sectors such as the defense, automobile, space, electronics and nuclear industries, according to a previous statement by Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez.
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One of the advantages of boron carbide, according to the Turkish minister, is that it has a low density, as a steel jacket reinforced with boron carbide is one-third lighter than a regular steel jacket, and more durable.
He stressed that with this project (the boron carbide plant), Turkey will get rid of dependence on abroad in providing raw materials for the armor industry.
