Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan was a globally significant producer of iodine and sulfur

Pictured: sulfur crystals

Statistics and information on the mining industry in Turkmenistan.

Overview

Turkmenistan’s most economically important mineral products were iodine, natural gas, petroleum, and sulfur. In 2024, Turkmenistan was a globally significant producer of iodine and sulfur. The country was the second-ranked and the third-ranked producer of natural gas and crude petroleum among members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Others mineral commodities produced included bentonite, cement, gypsum, lime, nitrogen (ammonia and urea), salt, sodium, and rolled steel products, which represented only a minor part of the economy of Turkmenistan. The country imported iron and steel products and nonferrous metals from the United States.

The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Turkmenistan is provided by the Law on Subsoil 2014. The use and protection of mineral resources is overseen by the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Federal agencies, and local authorities. Mineral commodities were produced by Government-owned domestic companies and foreign-owned companies. Iodine was produced in the Bereket, the Khazar chemical, and the Balkanabat plants located in Balkan Velayat and operated by the Government-owned State Concern Turkmenkhimiya. In 2024, Turkmenistan, in terms of decreasing volume, exported iodine to China, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and India.

2024 Report

Full data release with tables here.

Turkmenistan’s most economically important mineral products were iodine, natural gas, petroleum, and sulfur. In 2024, Turkmenistan was the globally significant producer of iodine and sulfur. The country was the second-ranked and the third-ranked producer of natural gas and crude petroleum among members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Others mineral commodities produced included bentonite, cement, gypsum, lime, nitrogen (ammonia and urea), salt, sodium, and rolled steel products, which represented only a minor part of the economy of Turkmenistan. Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). Mineral-related exports to the United States included iron and steel products and nonferrous metals (Energy Institute, 2025, p. 21, 37; U.S. Census Bureau, 2025; Saloum, 2026, Schnebele, 2026).

The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Turkmenistan is provided by the Law on Subsoil 2014. The use and protection of mineral resources is overseen by the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Federal agencies, and local authorities. Mineral commodities were produced by Government-owned domestic companies and foreign-owned companies. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of Government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Europe and Central Eurasia Region, which are available in the "Publications" section below (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2014, p. 1, 6–7, 16–20).

Commodity Review

Iodine.–Iodine was extracted from natural bromine-iodine-containing brines and from petroleum waste. The production of iodine increased to an estimated 800 metric tons (t) in 2024 from an estimated 770 t in 2023. Three iodine plants were operating in Balkan Velayat: the Bereket plant, the Khazar chemical plant, and the Balkanabat plant, which were operated by the Government-owned State Concern Turkmenkhimiya. In 2024, Turkmenistan exported 813 t of iodine compared with 539 t in 2023, which was an increase of 51%. China accounted for 38.7% of Turkmenistan’s iodine exports by volume, followed by the United Kingdom (29.8%), Turkey (20.2%), and India (6.03%) (Production table; Facilities table; News Central Asia, 2023; Trade Data Monitor LLC, 2025; Schnebele, 2026; State Concern Turkmenkhimiya, undated a, b).

Production table

(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)

Table includes data available through July 29, 2025. All data are reported unless otherwise noted. Estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits. In addition to the commodities listed, barite, bench gravel, bromine, coal, dolomite, epsomite, kaolin, and limestone may have been produced, but available information was inadequate to make reliable estimates of output.
Commodity	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Bentonite, other, unspecified	10,000^e	10,200^e	10,000^e	10,000^e	10,000^e
Bentonite, powder	500^e	510^e	500^e	500^e	500^e
Cement, hydraulic	1,900,000^e	2,000,000^e	2,200,000	2,600,000	2,900,000
Gypsum, crude	116,000^e	122,000^e	120,000^e	120,000^e	120,000^e
Iodine	700^e	746	639	770^e	800^e
Lime	25,000^e	26,000^e	29,000^e	34,000^e	38,000^e
Nitrogen, ammonia, N content	660,000	468,923	600,000^e	556,500	560,000^e
Nitrogen, urea, N content	766,500	989,111	1,130,000^e	1,032,000	1,080,000^e
Potash, K2O content	20,000^e	20,000^e	0^e	0^e	0^e
Salt	94,644	96,000^e	97,000^e	96,400	98,000^e
Salt, sodium, compounds, sodium sulfate	91,000^e	91,000^e	112,000^e	113,000^e	114,000^e
Steel products, rolled	NA	160,000	100,000	100,000	100,000^e
Sulfur, byproduct, natural gas and petroleum, S content	700,000^e	700,000^e	862,000	870,000^e	879,000^e

^e Estimated.

^NA Not available.

References Cited

Energy Institute, 2025, Statistical review of world energy: U.S. Suitland, Maryland, U.S. Census Bureau. (Accessed August 6, 2025, at https://www.energyinst.org/statistical-review.)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2014, Zakon Turkmenistana o nedrakh [Law on subsoil]: Rome, Italy, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 48 p. (Accessed August 6, 2025, at https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/tuk145335.pdf.) [In Russian.]
News Central Asia, 2023, Turkmenistan increases iodine production: Karachi, Pakistan, News Central Asia, January 16. (Accessed September 16, 2025, at https://www.newscentralasia.net/2023/01/16/turkmenistan-increases-iodin….)

News Central Asia, 2025, Turkmenabatskii khimicheskii zavod narashchivaet proizvodstvo i rasshiryaet assortiment producktsii [Turkmenabat Chemical Plant increases production and expands product assortment]: Karachi, Pakistan, January 14. (Accessed September 5, 2025, at https://www.newscentralasia.net/2025/01/14/turkmenabatskiy-khimicheskiy….) [In Russian.]

Saloum, S.H., 2026, Sulfur: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 182−183.

Schnebele, E.K., 2026, Iodine: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 100−101.

State Concern Turkmenkhimiya, [undated]a, Bereket iodine plant: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Turkmenhimiya State Concern. (Accessed September 15, 2025, at https://turkmenhimiya.gov.tm/factory-en/balkanabat-zawody.)

State Concern Turkmenkhimiya, [undated]b, Turkmenhimiya State Concern: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Turkmenhimiya State Concern. (Accessed September 15, 2025, at https://www.turkmenhimiya.gov.tm/storage/app/media/Him%20certifications….)

Trade Data Monitor LLC, 2025, Trade Data Monitor database: Charleston, South Carolina, Trade Data Monitor LLC. (Accessed November 19, 2025, at https://www1.tdmlogin.com/tdm/default.asp.)

U.S. Census Bureau, 2025, Country and product trade data—Product details and partner country—Country by 5-digit end-use code, annual totals, 2012–present: Suitland, Maryland, U.S. Census Bureau. (Accessed August 6, 2025, at https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/country/index.html.)

Publications

Reports: 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |2017-18 | 2019 | 2020-21 | 2022 | 2023

Tables: 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 200 5| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017-2018 | 2019 | 2020-21 | 2022 | 2023