Highlights: Rescue operations continue in Erzincan, in the northeast, four days after a landslide trapped nine people working in a gold mine. While the chances of finding them alive are considered very slim, the Turkish government announced this Saturday that it had withdrawn the environmental permit for the mine. The ministry adds that the earth carried by the enormous landslide – which is feared to be contaminated by cyanide used to extract gold – would be removed and “ stored» elsewhere temporarily. The fear is that toxic materials will flow into the Euphrates, located 300 meters as the crow flies from the site.

Rescue operations continue in Erzincan, in the northeast, four days after a landslide trapped nine people working in a gold mine. While the chances of…

Turkey: authorities withdraw the permit for the mine where nine miners are trapped

Rescue operations continue in Erzincan, in the northeast, four days after a landslide trapped nine people working in a gold mine. While the chances of finding them alive are considered very slim, the Turkish government announced this Saturday that it had withdrawn the environmental permit for the mine, of which NGOs and professional organizations are calling for its outright closure.

Landslide near Iliç gold mine accused of creating cyanide pollution. © Handout / DHA (Demiroren News Agency) / AFP

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Istanbul,

Anne Andlauer

Highly criticized since the disaster in the Iliç gold mine, the Turkish authorities want to be firm. The Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning announced that it was canceling the environmental permit for the Turkish gold mine,

where nine miners are still trapped

after the slide that occurred on Tuesday February 13, which it had itself even granted to the operating company, Anagold.

The ministry adds that the earth carried by the enormous landslide – which is feared to be contaminated by cyanide used to extract gold – would be removed and “

stored

» elsewhere temporarily. The fear is that toxic materials will flow into the Euphrates, located 300 meters as the crow flies from the site. Officially, no pollution has yet been detected in the river.

Six officials incarcerated

The matter is politically sensitive: two years ago, the Turkish authorities briefly suspended operations in this mine after the discovery of a cyanide leak. But the mine was able to reopen after paying a heavy fine, which caused an outcry from the opposition.

The justice system, too, wants to show its firmness: six managers of the mine have already been imprisoned. A first expert report estimates that by ignoring the presence of cracks, those responsible put the lives of miners in danger.

Turkey: authorities withdraw the permit for the mine where nine miners are trapped

Turkey: authorities withdraw the permit for the mine where nine miners are trapped

Six officials incarcerated

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest