The Anagold company has announced that almost 200 employees will be laid off at the gold mine in northeastern Turkey, where nine miners died in February, AFP reported.
"We regret to inform you that we have to lay off 187 of our colleagues," the company announced in a press release, citing the "difficult economic situation" due to "suspended production activities."
Based in Denver and Toronto, SSR Mining owns 80% of the shares of Anagold, and 20% is owned by the Turkish company Lidya.
Following the landslide that buried nine miners underground, the mine's environmental permit was revoked by the Turkish authorities.
But the trade union Bagimsiz Maden Is said the company should take responsibility for its "shortcomings in terms of occupational safety".
"The conditions that led to the withdrawal of the permit were created by Anagold, and the environmental consequences of the operation of the mine made it impossible to have another source of income in this settlement," union lawyer Mert Batur told AFP.
"Anagold" must continue to bear the economic cost of its actions and pay the salaries of its employees," he adds.
In February, a mound formed by a pile of earth removed from the mine slid down the slope, covering a large area and trapping nine miners.
According to the preliminary expert report cited by Turkish media, the mine management did not take the necessary precautions despite knowing about the cracks in the pile of earth that caused the disaster.
Six managers of the mine were detained.
The mine, which employs 667 miners, already made headlines in 2022 after a cyanide leak prompted authorities to briefly shut down operations.
It reopened after paying a fine, prompting an outcry from the opposition. I BGNES
