Nevzat Başlar
Mining Engineer - Underground Mining Specialist
General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG) | Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
An accomplished Mining Engineer with over 15 years of hands-on expertise in underground mining operations, project development, and technical inspections across Türkiye and Iran. Currently serving as an Underground Mining Specialist at the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG) under Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources since 2017, he contributes to national mining policy, regulatory oversight, and technical evaluation of mineral operations.
His practical career spans copper, polymetallic, sodium sulfate, and coal underground mines, where he has designed drilling-blasting systems, optimized ventilation and support structures, and led multidisciplinary engineering teams. He has held key supervisory roles with major industry players including Ciner Holding, Cengiz Holding (ETİ Copper), Alkim Alkali Kimya, and Hattat Holding, as well as a Russian-Turkish joint venture in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
Holding a B.S. in Mining Engineering (English-medium) and an M.S. in Financial Management, both from Hacettepe University, he combines deep technical knowledge with strong financial and analytical capabilities. His areas of expertise include mine planning and design, geomechanics, resource estimation, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
Bridging Reserves and Refinement: Türkiye's Strategic Role in the Global Critical Minerals Race.
- Türkiye’s role as a bridge between Europe and Asia,
- Türkiye’s agility and success in small and medium-scale mining, and the potential to transfer this to mining projects in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,
- The cultural affinity between Türkiye, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and their shared ‘Turkish World 2040 Vision’,
- Europe’s demand for critical minerals,
- South Korea’s processing technology for critical minerals and materials,
when all these factors are brought together, the resulting ecosystem could position Türkiye as a supply hub for critical minerals and materials within the Middle Corridor.
