Turkey's marble industry thrives after 'solution process'

By Tutku Senen

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

Thanks to the 'solution process' to Kurdish issue; the marble industry in Turkey's southeast region, an area rich with mineral and marble pits, is turning into a great white hope sector. 

Turkey has 36 percent of the world’s marble reserves, according to the Turkish General Directorate of Mining Affairs with a large concentration of quarries in the southeast. 

According to Turkish Marble, Natural Stone and Machinery Manufacturers (TUMMER), the solution process is ensuring peace in the region, and as a result, the mining and marble sectors will continue to develop in the southeast and in Diyarbakir, which is among one of the 15 marble producer cities in Turkey.

 Head of the TUMMER, Raif Turk stated, "the 'solution process' relieved the marble industry in 2013 in the region. The process will make major contributions to the industry. Most importantly, research-development studies can be carried out in all mountainous areas with the increased possibility of finding new mineral and marble stratums. In addition, current reserves can be managed more comfortably."

Many corporations work on projects together in Elazig, Diyarbakir and Adiyaman cities. The total production and export in these cities is 15 percent of Turkey's total production and export. The marble industry mostly developed in Afyonkarahisar, Balikesir, Bursa, Bilecik, Mugla, Burdur, Isparta, Denizli, Antalya, Mersin, Adiyaman, Amasya, Tokat, Elazig, Diyarbakir and Karaman cities with limited production in Sivas, Izmir, Bayburt and Eskisehir.

Turkey's marble industry is now the world's second highest supplier after China 

Turkey sells marble to 147 countries, including China, US, England, France, Germany and Russia, noted Turk. Turkey exported more than 4 million tonnes of marble in 2013, reaching an export value of 2.225 billion dollars. 

Turk pointed out that there were 260,000 employees working in the marble sector, saying, “There are more than 1,300 marble quarries, 1,500 factories and 8,000 workshops in the Turkish marble sector, with 90 percent of mining reserves concentrated in the Aegean and Marmara regions."

The marble industry in Turkey ahead of Italy's marble industry in terms of quality, and diversity, Turk commented and emphasized that Turkey's marble industry developed rapidly since 1985 and is the second finest quality and with a large variety in the world after China.

Other countries that buy marble from Turkey are Canada, Israel, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, India, Libya, Australia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, Qatar and Indonesia.

He underlined that the marble sector is an industry that sets trends similar to the garment industry.  "Almost all trend in stones exist in Turkey. More than 200 kinds of marble are produced continually, and a large part of them draw huge interest throughout the world."

He also said that Anatolia is a rich source for marble of different colors and patterns, and that the 'Elazig Cherry', a dark red coloured marble, with thin to medium grain and strong white veinage is one of the most popular marbles produced in Turkey.

Meanwhile, the total production of marble reached 8.44 million tonnes, close to 5 billion dollars value in 2013. 

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