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Marking the border between Turkey's Aegean provinces of Kütahya and Uşak, Murat Mountain is home to several endemic species. Located in a first-degree seismic zone, the mountain and its surrounding area were also endangered due to gold-silver mining activities last year.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) file of the planned mine was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization on May 8, 2019.
In the EIA report, it was indicated that the method of open pit dynamite blast and gold cyanidation would be used and it would lead to the destruction of water bodies feeding into rivers and brooks.
The report also noted that the mine would harm not only the ecosystem, but would also poison the drinking and service water as well as the water used in agriculture in several provinces such as Kütahya, Eskişehir, Ankara, Adapazarı, Bilecik, Uşak, Denizli, Aydın, Manisa and İzmir.
However, despite all these warnings and imminent risks indicated in the report, a positive EIA report was prepared for the mine.
'No legal remedies available'
The bar associations and locals in Kütahya and Uşak took a legal action and requested a stay of execution for the positive EIA report. The expert examined the regionas part of this lawsuit on August 19, 2019.
In November 2019, the Kütahya Administrative Court expressed the opinion that Murat Dağı and its surrounding area were not suitable to open a gold mine. Accordingly, the EIA report was cancelled.
CLICK - Court Cancels Environmental Impact Assessment Report for Gold Mine in Murat Mountain
Most recently, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kütahya Provincial Chair Dr. Zeliha Aksaz posted a tweet, attaching the judgement of the Council of State. According to this judgement, the Council of State has approved the cancellation of the EIA report, noting that "no other legal remedies are available" against this final ruling.
Aksaz has thanked all life defenders who have struggled to protect the Murat Mountain from ecological destruction. (SO/SD)
