In a rapid response to the recent landslide tragedy at the SSR Mining Inc.-operated gold mine in eastern Turkey, the nation’s environmental ministry has canceled the environmental licenses associated with the mining operations. The announcement follows a landslide earlier this week that left nine workers trapped beneath tons of rubble.
The ministry released a statement confirming the revocation of the miner’s environmental permissions and licenses, a decision directly linked to the incident dislodging an enormous 10 million cubic meters of earth across a 200-meter slope. As rescue efforts persist for the missing workers, Turkey’s Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, has provided updates, reassuring that tests show no contamination in nearby waters.
The mine, situated approximately 500 kilometers east of Ankara, is operated by Anagold Madencilik, an 80% owned subsidiary of Denver-based SSR Mining. An ongoing investigation into the incident has led to the detention of six individuals, including a Canadian national, as reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency.
SSR Mining, in response to the crisis, announced the suspension of all operations at the mine. The company commits to providing further updates, potentially during the release of its 2023 financial results scheduled for February 21. While the mine’s two licenses issued by Turkey’s Energy Ministry remain valid, the operating license, set to expire in 2026, won’t enable production to resume until necessary measures address the landslide and waste issues in the affected area, according to the ministry.
