ANKARA 

Turkey’s third export of boron via railway to China will cut its transportation down from the previous 45-60 day maritime journey to just 15-20 days, the country’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said Friday.

Donmez, speaking at a farewell ceremony for the boron export from Ankara for its destination in Xian in China, stressed that China has become a key mining export market for Turkey with 5.8 million tons in exports to China in 2020.

Despite all the difficulties in 2020, he said that Turkey managed to sustain its position as a leading global boron sector player, supplying 57% of global demand and reaching 1.73 million tons in boron sales worldwide.

Eti Maden, a company described by Donmez as a sustainable and reliable, international supplier of boron, will undertake the export of 42 containers of boron on a 754-meter-long train from Kirka in Eskisehir initially on the Ankara-Sivas-Kars route, finalizing its journey in Turkey on Feb. 2. It will continue its journey through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway to Xian, taking around two weeks.

From Turkey to China, it will cover a total distance of 7,792 kilometers, Donmez said.

Eti Maden, which previously exported boron internationally by sea, is now exporting via train with “solid cooperation from the Turkish State Railway (TCDD),” Donmez said.

The transport involves a train journey of more than 2,300 kilometers (over 1,440 miles) in Turkey, 220 kilometers (some 135 miles) in Georgia, 430 kilometers (over 265 miles) in Azerbaijan, 420 kilometers (some 260 miles) across the Caspian Sea, 3,200 kilometers (nearly 1,990 miles) in Kazakhstan, and 2,100 kilometers (over 1,300 miles) to China.

The first train carrying goods from Turkey to China set off from Istanbul on Dec. 4, 2020, covering a distance of 8,693 kilometers (over 5,400 miles) across Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea, and Kazakhstan to reach China’s Xian city and completing its historic trip on Dec. 19.

The second train also set off for Russia on Friday.