Nine gold miners have been reported missing following a significant landslide at the Anagold Mining site in eastern Turkey. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday in Erzincan province, has prompted a swift response from emergency services, with rescue operations already well underway.
The mine, a collaborative operation between Turkey’s Calik Holding and SSR Mining, based in Denver, Colorado, has become the site of a grave emergency. SSR Mining, which is listed on both the Toronto and Australian stock exchanges, had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
Dramatic security footage captured the moment a vast mound of earth—previously processed for gold extraction—gave way, cascading down the hillsides into the valley below. The landslide sent a massive cloud of dust into the air, visually encapsulating the scale and suddenness of the disaster.
In response to the crisis, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced that a contingent of 400 search and rescue personnel has been deployed in a desperate search for the missing miners. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the rescue efforts, stated he would be cutting short his international commitments to oversee the operations directly. “In order to closely coordinate the rescue work, I will interrupt my international program with our president and move to the region as of tonight,” Bayraktar conveyed through a social media post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The Turkish government has initiated a thorough investigation into the causes of the landslide, reflecting the gravity of the situation and the need for accountability. Meanwhile, as the search for the missing miners continues, the incident has cast a spotlight on the safety standards and environmental risks associated with mining operations in the region.
