Turkey cancels SSR gold environmental permits after accident
Turkey canceled the environmental licenses of a gold mine operated by a unit of SSR Mining Inc. in eastern Turkey after a landslide this week left nine workers trapped under the rubble.
The nation’s environmental ministry ended the miner’s environmental permissions and licenses, according to a statement.
The move came days after an incident that dislodged 10 million cubic meters of earth across a 200-meter slope.
The missing workers remain trapped under the soil, and Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Saturday that rescue efforts continue. Bayraktar also said tests so far didn’t show any contamination in waters nearby the area.
The mine, located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) east of Ankara, Turkey’s capital, is operated by Anagold Madencilik, which is 80% owned by Denver-based metals producer SSR Mining.
As authorities continue to conduct an investigation into the incident, six people including a Canadian national are detained, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
SSR Mining said late on Friday that all operations remained suspended at the mine, and it would provide further updates as it becomes aware of more information or during the company’s 2023 financial results, scheduled for February 21.
The mine’s two licenses issued by Turkey’s Energy Ministry are currently valid, with the company’s operating license set to expire in 2026. Yet production at the mine can’t resume until necessary arrangements are made to address the landslide and waste issues in the area, according to the ministry.
