Landslide at Anagold Mining gold mine in İliç, Erzincan!

A massive landslide has occurred at the Anagold Mining gold mine in the İliç district of Erzincan.

A statement from the Independent Mine Workers Union included the following:

"We extend our best wishes to all the miners. We are following the developments moment by moment with the hope that not a single miner loses their life."

PREVIOUSLY IN THE NEWS FOR A CYANIDE SCANDAL

The Canadian company Anagold, which extracts gold using cyanide in İliç, Erzincan, was granted permission to expand its mining site.

Last year, there was a leak from the mine's cyanide pond, which resulted in toxic substances mixing into the Euphrates River. 

MINE EXPANDED

The mine in question resumed operations three months after the incident.

Despite objections and lawsuits, the company applied for a capacity increase on June 15.

According to information in the system of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change,the Erzincan Governorship issued a decision on August 16 regarding Anagold Mining's project stating that 'Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required' was granted.

With this approval, the company will add another 5.83-hectare section to the 1,746-hectare mining site in the region. 

EARTHQUAKE RISK

The mine in question is also located on an active fault line in İliç.

According to expert warnings, there are concerns about a new earthquake in the region, which last experienced one in 1766.

IT IS HEADING TO THE EUPHRATES!

Reacting to the footage from İliç, rights advocate in the region Sedat Cezayirlioğlu, highlighted the crisis in his speech on Sözcü TV, calling it "the greatest disaster of the century" he stated.

Cezayirlioğlu said that the soil had reached the stream and was moving toward the Euphrates. 

STATEMENT FROM ANAGOLD MINING 

Following the landslide, the operator, Anagold Mining, issued a written statement that included the following:

"We would like to express our deep regret regarding the landslide that occurred in our heap leach area at our Anagold Çöpler Gold Mine on Tuesday, February 13, at approximately 14:28. 

We would like to reiterate that our top priority during this difficult process is the health and safety of our employees and contractors. 

Immediately following this tragic incident, we contacted our employees in the region, activated our emergency plan, and informed the relevant public institutions and organizations. Immediately after the emergency notification was made to Anagold emergency response teams and AFAD units, necessary security measures were taken in the area where the incident occurred, and rapid action was taken for all interventions. 

As an organization that places employee health and safety at the center of all its operations, we will act in unity and solidarity with both our employees and stakeholders during these difficult times. While we continue to take all necessary steps to minimize the effects of this tragic incident, we will mobilize all our resources to clarify the event as quickly as possible." 

In line with our principle of transparency, we respectfully inform the public that we will keep the relevant authorities and the public continuously updated on developments."

A MASSIVE LANDSLIDE

CHP Erzincan Deputy Mustafa Sarıgül stated the following in his initial remarks:

"I do not yet know how many people are trapped under the collapse, but looking at the footage on X, it is a massive landslide. We have been saying for years that this disaster was coming. We have been saying for years that such a thing should not be happening right next to the Euphrates River."

AFAD: PERSONNEL DISPATCHED FROM 9 PROVINCES

In its initial statement, AFAD noted that personnel had been dispatched from 9 provinces. The statement read as follows:

"Today, at approximately 14:00, a landslide occurred at a mine in the İliç district of our Erzincan province, and information has been received that our citizens are trapped under the collapse.

Personnel from our AFAD provincial directorates in Erzincan, Erzurum, Sivas, Rize, Malatya, Giresun, Diyarbakır, Tokat, and Tunceli have been dispatched to the scene."

?? Erzincan
At approximately 14:00 today, a landslide occurred at a mine in the İliç district of our Erzincan province, and reports have been received that our citizens are trapped under the debris.

Teams from Erzincan, Erzurum, Sivas, Rize, Malatya, Giresun, Diyarbakır, Tokat, and Tunceli have been dispatched to the scene...

— AFAD (@AFADBaskanlik) February 13, 2024

FIRST STATEMENT FROM MINISTER YERLİKAYA

Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya noted that, according to initial assessments, 9 workers remain unaccounted for.

CHP DELEGATION HEADING TO THE REGION

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel announced on his social media account that a CHP delegation is on its way to the region.

Özel stated, "We are following the disaster at the gold mine in İliç, Erzincan, with concern and horror. Our party delegation, consisting of Deputy Chairmen Deniz Yavuzyılmaz and Gamze Taşcıer, MPs Mustafa Sarıgül and Müzeyyen Şevkin, and Party Assembly member Baran Bozoğlu, has departed for the region. Our only hope is that our miners trapped under the landslide are reached safely."

STATEMENT FROM THE ERZİNCAN GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

The Erzincan Governor's Office issued a statement regarding the landslide at the Anagold Çöpler Gold Mine operating in the İliç district: "A team of 400 personnel has been immediately dispatched to the scene, and an intensive search and rescue operation has been launched to save the workers trapped under the soil. A judicial and administrative investigation into the incident has been initiated. We extend our best wishes to all our workers and their families following this distressing event and hope that there will be no loss of life."

News Source : 12punto