He was born in Zonguldak-Amasra in Türkiye. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Mining Engineering Department of the Middle East Technical University, and his doctorate from the Political Science and Public Administration Department of Ankara University. He is also a graduate of the History Department of Anadolu University. Between 1985 and 2023, he worked in Turkish Coal Enterprises and served as Planning Manager and Strategic Planning Coordinator. Dr. Nejat Tamzok, who took part in the preparation and execution of many engineering projects throughout his career, served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Scientific Mining Journal, a refereed publication of the Chamber of Mining Engineers of Türkiye, between 2016 and 2023, and was the president of the 23rd International Mining Congress and Exhibition held in 2013. He currently writes columns on energy and mining on the news sites enerjipolitik.com, enerjigunlugu.net and eurasiareview.com. He is a member of the Chamber of Mining Engineers of Türkiye, World Mining Congress Turkish National Committee, World Energy Council Turkish National Committee and Middle East Technical University Alumni Association.

Dr. Nejat TAMZOK
CONGRESS CHAIRMAN

İlkay Bengü Can is working at Hacettepe University, Mining Engineering Department as Professor since 2023. She completed her BSc (1997), MSc (2000) and PhD (2006) degrees in the same university and department. Her research area is on mineral processing including process mineralogy and flowsheet development/optimization. She has papers published on subjects of mineral processing methods, process mineralogy and cement in various international journals and conference/symposium proceedings. She has participated various national and international research projects including AMIRA P9, Horizon2020 and workshops about the development of concentration techniques, process flowsheet, equipment selection and plant design, performance evaluation and optimization of process plants.

Prof. Dr. İlkay Bengü CAN
VICE CHAIRWOMAN

Dr. Mehtap Gülsün Kılıç works as an engineer at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. She completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees at the department of Mining Engineering of Middle East Technical University (METU). She has worked as a mining engineer in universities and government institutions. Mineral processing, rare earth elements and renewable energy are among her experiences. She has an articles and papers published in national and international journals, congresses and symposiums. She has been as a member of the organizing committees and vice president in many congresses and symposiums and prepared the proceedings books.

Dr. Mehtap Gülsün KILIÇ
VICE CHAIRWOMAN

He graduated as a mining engineer from Hacettepe University in 1986. After graduation, he worked in various private sector companies and then started working at the General Directorate of Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration (EIE) in 1990. He served as the Education Secretary at Energy- Structure- Road Union between 1996- 2001. He completed his master's degree in public administration at the Turkey and Middle East Public Administration Institute (TODAİE) in 2001. After the closure of EIE, he continued his duties at the General Directorate of Renewable Energy. He served as the General Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Mining Engineers from 2018 until 2024. He has continued his activities in various working groups of the Chamber.

M. Erşat AKYAZILI
SECRETARY

He graduated from METU Faculty of Engineering-Mining Department in 1992. His working life: Ministry of National Education - English teacher (October 1993 - January 1998), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources - Engineer, Head of Research Planning Coordination Board (January 1998 - May 2007), Mining Affairs General Directorate (May 2007- June 2014), General Directorate of Nuclear Energy and International Projects - Department of Transit Pipelines (June 2014- present) , UCTEA Chamber of Mining Engineers 43rd, 44th, 48th, and 49th term Board of Directors.

Mehmet ZAMAN
TREASURER

Deniz Altun completed her BSc (2007), MSc (2011) and PhD (2017) degrees at Hacettepe University Mining Engineering Department and currently works as a Research Assistant at Mineral Processing Division in the same department. She takes part in national and international projects on crushing and grinding processes. She has published many articles, especially on material characterization, optimization, modeling and simulation of size reduction equipment and circuits.

Doç. Dr. Deniz ALTUN
MEMBER

Okay Altun completed his BSc (2004), MSc (2007) and Ph.D (2014) degrees at Hacettepe University Mining Engineering Department and works as an Associate Professor at the same department. He is also UMREK Competent Person and member of AusIMM (MAusIMM). His fields of expertise are modeling, simulation and optimization of crushing and grinding circuits. The technologies he has specialized are air classifiers, wet and dry stirred media mills and semi-autogenous mills. He has taken part in national and international research projects and his studies have been published in prestigious international journals.

Doç. Dr. Okay ALTUN
MEMBER

He graduated from ITU-Faculty of Mining as a mining engineer in 1982. He worked as an engineer and manager at the Black Sea Copper Enterprises. Currently, in addition to his duty as a Member of the Honorary Board of our Chamber, he continues to work in the Feasibility Department of and the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration.

Selim ALTUN
MEMBER

He graduated as a mining engineer in 1986. After his graduation, he worked in Divriği Mines, Karabük and İskenderun Iron and Steel factories, respectively, under the General Directorate of Turkish Iron and Steel Enterprises. He subsequently retired in 2020 after working in various units of the General Directorate of Mining Affairs and the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration. He currently serves on various commissions and boards of the Chamber of Mining Engineers.

Nadir AVŞAROĞLU
MEMBER

In 2000, he graduated from Dumlupınar University, Department of Mining Engineering with the first rank. In 2001, he started to work as a Research Assistant in the same department. In 2003, he completed his master's degree in Mining Engineering, dept. of Mining Engineering at the same university. Between 2003-2010, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Middle East Technical University, Department of Mining Engineering and received his PhD degree in the same department. Between 2012-2014, he worked as a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, Penn State University, United States of America, where he gave “Mining Design” and “Energy Economics” courses. He worked as a “Research Assistant” at Dumlupınar University between 2001-2003, at Middle East Technical University between 2003-2010 and then he was appointed as an “Assistant Professor” at Dumlupınar University between 2011-2020. In 2020, he started to work at Çankırı Karatekin University, Civil Engineering Department, Geotechnics Department. In 2021, he received the title of Associate Professor and is still working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Geotechnics in the same Department. In 2023, he was appointed as Vice Dean at Çankırı Karatekin University Faculty of Engineering and still continues his duty. He is married and has a one daughter.

Doç. Dr. Cihan DOĞRUÖZ
MEMBER

Sena Naz Gökdemir has been serving as a specialist project engineer at Demir Export A.Ş. Research Laboratory since 2021. She completed her undergraduate (2020) and master's (2023) degrees in Mining Engineering at Hacettepe University. Her responsibilities include providing data sources for evaluating internal or new projects, conducting research on various ore enrichment methods, and focusing on sustainable practices and the digitization of mining processes. Within these roles, she leverages her technical knowledge and experience to analyze data for projects, propose solutions, advance ore enrichment techniques, and optimize the utilization of digital technologies in mining operations.

Sena Naz GÖKDEMİR
MEMBER

He was born in Giresun- Eynesil in 1961. He graduated from Mining Engineering Department of Faculty of Mines of Istanbul Technical University in 1983. He completed his master's degree at the University of Minnesota in the USA, where he was sent on a state scholarship, in 1988 and completed his doctorate on acid mine drainage at Hacettepe University in 2011. Meanwhile, in 2005, he graduated from the National Security Academy affiliated with the General Staff. He served as an engineer, unit manager and department head at the MTA General Directorate, and retired at his own request in 2017.

Mehmet KARADENİZ
MEMBER

She graduated as a Mining Engineer in 2009. After her graduation, she worked as a Mining Engineer in Mining Consultancy companies. She continued his career in the field of Occupational Safety in the Cement Industry for 11 years. Now she has continued to work in the field of Occupational Safety in Eti Soda A.Ş. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Mining Engineers.

Pelin KERTMEN
MEMBER

She was born in 1992 in Sivas- Yıldızeli. She completed her undergraduate education in the Department of Public Finance at Hacettepe University in 2015. She served on the Executive Board of IMCET 2022 and IMCET 2023. At the UCTEA Chamber of Mining Engineers, she has served as the Deputy General Secretary as well as the Coordinator of Education and Information Technology.

Gülcan KOÇ
MEMBER

He was born in Ankara in 1974. He spent his entire education and working life in Ankara. He graduated from Hacettepe University Mining Engineering Department in 1998. He has experience in selling mining machinery and equipment.

Fatih ÖZKAN
MEMBER

Dr.Savaş Özün graduated from the Department of Mining Engineering at Eskişehir Osmangazi University in 2001. In 2002, he started to work as a Research Assistant at the Mining Engineering Department at Middle East Technical University and completed his Ph.D. study at the same department in 2012. During his Ph.D. study, he also worked as a visiting scholar at the Chemistry Department of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010. After completing his Ph.D. degree, he started to work in the Department of Mining Engineering at Suleyman Demirel University. He also did postdoctoral research at the University of Utah, Department of Metallurgical Engineering between 2017 and 2018. He is still working as an Assoc.Prof.Dr. at the Department of Mining Engineering, and also as a Vice Dean at the Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences. Mineral processing, flotation, beneficiation of coal, industrial minerals and metallic ores, surface chemistry of mineral/aqueous systems, gravity concentration, etc. are among his main research areas. He has a number of international/national publications. He is married and has a son and a daughter.

Doç. Dr. Savaş ÖZÜN
MEMBER

He graduated as a mining engineer in 1986. After his graduation, he joined the MTA General Directorate Drilling Department and has taken part in various tasks and projects. He taken charge in many drillings activities carried out in our country on behalf of MTA, especially geothermal drillings. He completed his doctoral study on drilling in 1999. He currently serves as the vice chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Mining Engineers.

Dr. Bülent TOKA
MEMBER

He was born in Sinop in 1961. He graduated from H.Ü. Zonguldak Engineering Faculty, Mining Department in 1982. After working at ETAŞ Mining, MATAŞ Mining, KBI, he retired from MTA in 2020

Muharrem TORALIOĞLU
MEMBER

Emre YILMAZKAYA is working at Hacettepe University, Mining Engineering Department as Assistant Professor since 2017. He completed her BSc (1997), MSc (2000) and PhD (2006) degrees in the same university and department. He obtained his MsC thesis titled “Investigation of Some Factors Affecting Cutting in Diamond Wire Cutting Method” in 2007; and his doctoral thesis titled “Investigation of Effective Parameters on Computer Controlled Monowire Block Cutting System” in 2013. He has articles and papers published in various international journals and congress/symposium proceedings on natural stone cutting/processing technologies, open pit mining and rock mechanics.

Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Emre YILMAZKAYA
MEMBER