After a landslide at a gold mine in Turkey buried nine miners on Tuesday, the government closed the mine. The Turkish Environment Ministry on Saturday revoked the “environmental permit”, without which the mining company cannot continue its activities. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar also said six mine managers were arrested on Friday evening.
Last Tuesday, ten million cubic meters of mud and debris began sliding into the open-pit mine in the northeastern province of Erzincan. Nine miners were buried and have not yet been found.
Cracks were known
According to a preliminary expert report, those responsible for the mine had not taken the necessary precautions, even though they were aware of cracks in the pile.
A Canadian was also among those arrested
According to reports in the Turkish media, among those arrested was a Canadian who worked for the operating company Anagold. 80 percent of Anagold is owned by Toronto and Denver-based company SSR Mining, the rest is owned by Turkish company Lidya.
According to Energy Minister Bayraktar, rescue efforts for the nine buried miners have intensified since Friday evening. In addition, cyanide used in gold mining should be avoided from contaminating the water of the nearby Euphrates River, he said. “Removing the soil covering the riverbed is our priority.”
The mine, which employed 667 people, was closed for several months in 2022 after a cyanide leak caused by a burst pipe. However, it was reopened after the operators paid a fine, sparking protests from Turkish opposition parties.
Source: Krone
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