Iodine production is increasing in Turkmenistan. According to geologists and chemists, rich sources of thermal waters enriched with iodine-bromine are contained in the depths of the Monjukly, Ekerem, Cheleken, Guyular and Boyadag deposits.

As reported in the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper, Boyadag was once a volcano that went extinct over time, and the thermal waters are still used for industrial needs. For the industrial extraction of iodine, the Boyadag deposit has production facilities specially designed for the collection and transportation of chemical raw materials. The development and industrial exploitation of the Boyadag deposit began in the second half of the last century. Its raw materials are still processed at the Balkanabat iodine plant.

This is one of the oldest enterprises of the State Concern «Turkmenchemistry», whose products are highly environmentally friendly and of high quality, meeting international standards. Hence the competitiveness in the foreign market and the profitability of the enterprise. In 1998, the plant was awarded the International Platinum Star Award for the high quality of its products, and in 2000 in Madrid – the International Quality Award.

Iodine is an export-oriented product, and also replaces imports. This chemical element is multifunctional, widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries, in non-ferrous metallurgy, in the production of colored paints, synthetic rubber, and compound feed. In this regard, there is a need to increase the volume of chemical products manufactured, and expand the range.

For this purpose, during the years of independence, new capacities for the production of in-demand iodine were put into operation in the Bereket etrap, based on local natural resources. The Guyular and Chalja deposits in the same etrap played an important role in this, the raw materials of which are used in the production of iodine pencils and other types of medicines and chemical products.

The use of local raw materials for production needs and their deep processing with the help of high-tech equipment, in turn, significantly reduces the cost of manufactured products.