Accidents
Landslide in Turkish gold mine – nine missing
A landslide has occurred at the Copler gold mine near the village of Ilic in Erzincan province, eastern Turkey. photo
© Uncredited/IHA/AP
According to an expert, heavy rain or an earthquake could be the reasons for the landslide in the Turkish gold mine. Nine people are still missing.
The landslide occurred on Tuesday on the site of the gold mine in Erzincan, eastern Turkey. The reasons are not yet known. Pictures showed how a huge amount of earth fell down a slope into a valley.
Several organizations warned of an environmental disaster due to toxic cyanide. They could end up in the nearby Euphrates River. Government officials initially denied this. The operating company Anagold said that the landslide did not cause any environmental pollution.
Michael Tost, professor at the Montanuniversität Leoben, told the German Press Agency that cyanides were used to extract gold from the rock and were highly toxic. According to him, heavy rain or an earthquake could have triggered the landslide and the subsequent mudslide. According to Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc, four people have been arrested so far.