A wide range of industry stakeholders supported the event as sponsors. Istanbul Gold Refinery, Öksüt Madencilik / Centerra Gold Inc., TÜPRAG Metal Mining Inc., Tümad Madencilik, Koza Gold Operations Inc., Barit Maden Türk Inc., Yeniköy Kemerköy Energy (YKE), the Chrome Producers Association (KROMDER), SAY Metal, the Association of Ceramic, Glass and Cement Raw Materials Producers (SERHAM), and Ento Maden Global Inc. contributed as Gold Sponsors. GÜBRETAŞ Mining Investments Inc., TÜRK MAADİN Inc., DAYK Group, and JEMAS Engineering participated as Silver Sponsors, while Çayeli Copper Enterprises Inc., Uysal Madencilik Inc., Ersel Heavy Machinery Industry and Trade Inc., Tüven Mining & Energy, Zimer Communication, FKK Güney Oto Inc., Siltaş Silica Sands Industry and Trade Inc., and SIM’s Garden Landscape Project Design and Implementation supported the event as Bronze Sponsors.

The event opened with a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kumral, Dean of the ITU Faculty of Mines. This was followed by opening speeches delivered by ITU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İpek Akın Karadayı and the General Director of MAPEG, Mr. Arslan Narin. Over the course of three days, a total of seven sessions were held, including opening sessions, featuring presentations by 37 representatives from companies, non-governmental organizations, and universities. In addition, an art exhibition showcasing works by the esteemed members of the Kadıköy Municipality Public Education Center was organized within the Faculty of Mines as part of the event.

On the first day, a panel titled “The New Mining Law” was held under the moderation of Mr. İbrahim Halil Kırşan, Chairman of the TOBB Türkiye Mining Council. Panelists included Ali Emiroğlu, Vice Chairman of the Mining Development Foundation of Türkiye (YMGV), Dr. Cemil Acar from CoreX Holding BV, Prof. Dr. Mücahit Taha Özkaya from Ankara University, and Yalçın Kandemir, General Manager of AVEX. Another panel titled “Academia and Industry from the Students’ Perspective” featured student panelists from the Departments of Geological Engineering, Mining Engineering, Geophysical Engineering, and Mineral Processing Engineering. The session was moderated by Dr. Yusuf Enes Pural, a faculty member of the Department of Mineral Processing Engineering.

The event attracted strong participation from outside the university, with a total of 212 participants representing 82 different companies, NGOs, and institutions. The event was also followed by four members of the press. High attendance was observed in nearly all sessions and panels, with approximately 450 students attending the sessions at different times throughout the event. In addition, a significant number of students visited company booths and engaged in one-on-one discussions with industry representatives. Approximately 180 academic staff members from various departments also attended the sessions and panels.

Through this event, academics of the ITU Faculty of Mines and future engineers studying earth sciences were brought together with industry representatives, enabling a comprehensive discussion of the mining sector by gathering all its stakeholders under one roof. During the summit, where Türkiye’s leadership role in earth sciences and mining was discussed, the importance of addressing the subsurface where mining activities take place together with the surface used for agriculture in a holistic manner was strongly emphasized.

ITU students participating in the event had the opportunity to meet representatives of leading mining companies from Türkiye and Europe, share their projects, and gain valuable insights into career opportunities within the sector.