Nine gold miners missing in Turkey 8 hours after landslide (updated)

SSR Mining

13/02/2024 19:12

(Adds security footage, energy minister)
       ISTANBUL, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Nine miners were still
missing eight hours after a landslide at an Anagold Mining
operation in eastern Turkey on Tuesday, the energy ministry
said, with rescue efforts underway. 
    The mine in Erzincan province is operated by Lidya
Madencilik and owned by Turkey-based Calik Holding and Denver,
Colorado-based SSR Mining  SSRM.TO , which is listed in Toronto
and the Australian stock exchange. 
    SSR did not immediately respond to a request for comment at
its Turkey office.
    Security footage showed a giant mound of soil, which
authorities said had been processed for gold and piled on the
hills, rapidly crumble and flow into the valley in a deluge of
earth and rocks, sending clouds of dust into the air.
    Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 400 search and rescue
workers were looking for the missing miners.
    "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," Energy Minister Alparslan
Bayraktar said in a posting on X, formerly Twitter. 
    The government said it has launched an investigation into
the incident. 
    


 (Reporting by Burcu Karakas and Ece Toksabay; Editing by
Jonathan Spicer, David Goodman and Bill Berkrot)
 ((Burcu.Karakas@thomsonreuters.com;))