[TURKEY / MINING CONSESSIONS / NATIONALIZATION IN THE MINING] Ottoman announcement printed in 1919: Hüdavendigâr Province [i.e., Bursa, Brusa] Molybdenum mine privilege document

CELÂLEDDIN ARIF BEY, HOCAZÂDE MEHMED EFENDI.

Bursa - Hüdâvendigâr Province, 1919.

An extremely rare original letterpress broadside announcement in Ottoman Turkish printed on paper with an early watermark of the Turkish Republic shortly before the Republic was proclaimed. 20x11 cm. The verso is blank. Very good+.

The announcement of the tender result showed that the privilege of extracting molybdenum minerals from Bursa was given to two Turkish entrepreneurs in 1919. This document is important in showing the significant emphasis was placed on the policy of 'Nationalization' in the mining sector after the proclamation of the Turkish Republic. During the late Ottoman period, mining concessions were often granted to European and American entrepreneurs.

Transcription of original text:

"Hüdavendigâr Vilâyetinin Orhaneli kazasina tâbi' Gelemiç kariyesinde sahibli ve hali arazi-i emiriyede bittahrî zahire çikarilan bir kit'a molipden [sic. molibden] madeni 10 Receb 337 - 12 Nisan 335 tarihli imtiyaz emirnâmesi mûcîbince serâit-i mukarrere ve doksan dokuz sene müddet ile ve ol babdaki mukâvelenâme ve sartnâme muhtevîtâtinin harfiyyen icrasina muallak olmak üzere Türkiye Cumhuriyeti teb'asindan Celâleddin Arif Bey ve Hocazâde Mehmed Efendi uhdelerine ihâle kilinmistir.".

"[i.e., A molybdenum ore deposit located in the village of Gelemiç in the Orhaneli district of the Hüdavendigâr province, owned and operated within imperial territory, has been granted by tender to Celâleddin Arif Bey and Hocazâde Mehmed Efendi, citizens of the Republic of Turkey. This concession, issued in accordance with the decree dated 10 Rajab 337 [12 April 335], is valid for a period of ninety-nine years, ensuring that the terms of the agreement and specifications are implemented precisely as stipulated."].

The name molybdenum originates from the Ancient Greek language, which is thought to have borrowed the term from the Anatolian Luvian and Lydian languages (Wikipedia). Historical records indicate that molybdenum deposits in Bursa have been known since antiquity, with mining operations in the Gelemiç region mentioned in the document (MTA online). During the late Ottoman period, mining concessions were often granted to European and American entrepreneurs. However, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, significant emphasis was placed on the policy of 'Nationalization,' including in the mining sector. Consequently, mining privileges were reserved exclusively for Turkish entrepreneurs.