A new record was set by Türkiye's mineral exports last year, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said Monday and the data shows that a new record is coming in sector this year, too.

According to the statement made by the Ministry, the mining sector, recorded $5.93 billion (TL 107.8 billion) worth exports last year.

The exports of the sector, which continues its search for new markets and exports value-added products to existing markets, increased by 19% from $2.82 billion to $3.36 billion in the six months of this year compared to the same period of the previous year.

China took the first place in exports with $713 million, followed by the U.S. with $328 million and Bulgaria with $214 million.

Dönmez, whose views were included in the official statement, noted that Türkiye is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of underground wealth.

Stating that exports have played a leading role in the growth of the Turkish economy in recent years, Dönmez said our mineral exports are at the forefront.

"Last year, we broke the record of the history of the Republic in mineral exports. The data show that a new record is coming in mineral exports this year as well," he said.

Another pleasing development, the minister went on to say, is that semifinished and finished products are on the rise in this increase.

"We will earn more foreign currency to our country by further increasing the export of value-added products."

Noting that they are working to bring the underground wealth to the economy without harming the nature and the environment, Dönmez said, "As we always say, we neither give up on our environment nor our mines. Therefore, we will continue to act with a national mining policy that is respectful to nature, sensitive to the environment."