Expert report disapproves copper mine project in Turkey's Mount Ida

* Photo: Çanakkale Governor's Office

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The expert report has been issued in the trial over the Halilağa Copper Mine and Processing Facility Project to be undertaken by the pro-government Cengiz Holding in Mount Ida in western Turkey.

Prepared as part of the lawsuit seeking to halt the execution of and annul the positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) decision given for the project, the expert report has found that giving such a decision is not suitable for the facility in question.

Making a statement about the issue, the Mount Ida Ecology Platform has said, "Science has, this time, sided with us, nature and the rightful." It has expressed its belief that the court will give a decision of stay of execution and will annul the related positive EIA decision: "Our forests, agricultural fields, archeological sites cannot be destroyed for gold-copper mines."

As reported by Yeşil Gazete, Ecology Union Co-Spokesperson and Mount Ida Natural and Cultural Assets Preservation Association Chair Süheyla Doğan has also commented on the expert report and welcomed the news that "the expert report has been on the side of nature."

Expressing her wish that the judges of the case will halt the execution of the project by considering the expert report and annul the positive EIA report, she has said, "It has been a very long-lasting struggle. We have strived a lot. We have expressed our objections everywhere. Science has been on our side one more time. Halting this project is very important."

What happened?

Following the environmental destruction caused by the Canadian Alamos Gold company and its local affiliate Doğu Biga Mining Inc. in Çanakkale's Mount Ida, the Cengiz Holding bought the Halilağa Copper Mine Facility for 55 million USD in 2019 and started working on the Capacity Increase, Mineral Processing and Waste Storage Facility Project.

While a 2-year construction, a 15-year operation and 2-year closure were foreseen for the project and it was called the "Halilağa Copper Mine Project", the EIA process was undertaken under the name of "Halilağa Gold Mine Project" in 2012. A positive EIA decision was given for that project, too. However, this project was hindered thanks to the objections and efforts of the locals as well as environmental organizations.

In August 2021, 87 plaintiffs (6 organizations and 81 individuals) filed a lawsuit against the company and requested the stay of execution and annulment of the positive EIA report given in July 2021. After this lawsuit, other lawsuits were also filed against the report.

The expert examination was held on November 21, 2021.

NOTE: Çanakkale's annual need for water is 12 million tons. It is alleged that Cengiz Holding will use 4.1 million tons of water for the copper mine project in Mount Ida. According to the EIA file, the worth of the project is 923 million TRY. The area for which an EIA permission has been given covers nearly 600 hectares and three polygons. (TP/SD)