Anagold Mining posts job advertisement on third of day mine disaster

The Anagold Mining Company, the owner of the Çöpler gold mine where a landslide led to the entrapment of the workers and cyanide leakage, posted job advertisement on the third day of the disaster while the workers are still waiting to be rescued under the cyanide-laden soil.

Friday February 16 2024 11:27 am

Osman Çaklı / Gazete Duvar

The Anagold Mining Company on Feb. 15 posted a job advertisement for the Çöpler gold mine in Turkey’s eastern Erzincan province.

The move came two days after the landslide disaster at the same mine, which led to the entrapment of at least nine workers and cyanide leakage to the environment.

In the advertisement posted on LinkedIn, the company said they were recruiting for eight positions, including quality controller and sampling.

The advertisement emphasized they would provide a “company culture that cares about people.” It added that their gold mining and materials company were “rapidly growing” worldwide.

The advertisement drew ire as at least nine workers are still waiting to be rescued under the cyanide-laden soil. All the operations at the mine have been halted since the disaster.

The company prevously said the accident occurred due to slippage of the heap leaching area.

Anagold Mining, 80 percent owned by the Canadian SSR Mining and 20 percent by the Çalık Group close to the Turkish government, has been operating in the region since 2009.

Experts, opposition figures, and neighboring villagers had been warning about the dangers of the mine since its foundation in 2009 due to especially its close proximity to the Euphrates River. The mining project received a positive Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) report in 2008.

In June 2022, a pipe containing cyanide also burst in the mine, leading to the discharge of waste into the Euphrates River. However, the mine site was approved to be expanded by the ministry after the leakage.

(English version by Alperen Şen)