22 February 2024

Turkey’s Mineral Research and Exploration General Directorate (MTA) under the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry removed the fault line running under the Çöpler Gold Mine in the eastern Erzincan province from its official 2023 fault map, reported main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) vice chair Deniz Yavuzyılmaz on February 22. 

[...]

The 2013 map depicted a red fault line running through the location of the gold mine in the İliç district of Erzincan province. 

However, the fault line seemed to be cut off right around the mine on the 2023 version of the map. Other fault lines in the region remained similar to the 2013 map.

Yavuzyılmaz suggested that the fault segment was removed deliberately by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The official fault maps could serve as a basis for the challenges against the mine.  

[...]

The Çöpler Mine was established in 2009 to the dismay of experts, opposition figures, and some neighboring villagers ...

The cyanide-laden waste soil heap weighing millions of tons collapsed at the mine on February 13, trapping nine workers and exposing toxic chemicals to the environment. Search operations for the nine trapped workers could not continue due to the risk of new landslides. 

Experts said that disaster was expected at the mine, as previous accidents and irregularities in documentation signaled a lack of control on the operating company Anagold and the Environment Ministry’s part. 

Workers stated that the company had known about the landslide risk ahead of the disaster ...

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change on Feb. 17 announced that the mine's license had been canceled ...

Experts warned that the collapse could lead to significant water contamination ....

However, the Environment Ministry reported no pollution in the Euphrates River so far. Operator Anagold Mining Company also claimed that there was no contamination in the region and no cyanide flow into the river.