Gold mine operator confirms cyanide spill claims
Gold mine operator Anagold Madencilik has confirmed a reported leak of cyanide as a result of a damaged pipe. But the firm denied claims the leak was impacting the Euphrates River.
Duvar English
Anagold Madencilik, which operates a gold mine in the eastern province of Erzincan, on June 27 confirmed reports of a cyanide leak from their mine site.
The company claimed that the amount of cyanide spilled was 8 kilograms and it was "cleaned immediately.”
"The total amount of cyanide in the spillage at the mine site is approximately 8 kg. Unfounded claims that circulated on social media that there are tons that spilled and that [the spill] was affecting the Euphrates River are completely wrong,” it said in a statement.
After it was revealed that the cyanide pipe of the gold mine exploded and the cyanide was released into nature; the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry charged the operator an administrative fine of 16.4 million Turkish Liras.
The Erzincan Governor’s Office also announced that the leak did not affect the Euphrates River.
A chief public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the operator on charges of "contaminating the environment by negligence.”