On 13 February a cyanide-laced landslide swept into a valley, trapping nine miners who are still missing. The incident occurred at an open-pit gold mine in İliç, Erzincan, owned by a company called Anagold Mining.
Rescue operations have been challenged by the high levels of cyanide in the area, used in gold extraction. Four senior mine officials have been detained.
The mine has come under criticism from civil society for some time over its use of cyanide and its potential impact on the environment and human life. There are fears cyanide used in the mine may leak into the Euphrates River, an important source of water that extends well beyond Turkey.
IndustriALL Global Union released a statement saying it considers this incident a homicide and is urging for a thorough investigation. The union emphasizes the need for safe and sustainable mining practices amid Turkey's poor record on mine safety, with past incidents resulting in numerous fatalities.
Source: IndustriALL, 15 February
