Nickel mine waste flows into stream after pipe burst in western Turkey

Photo: Ecology Union

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A burst occurred for an unknown reason in a pipe leading to a tailings dam of a nickel mine in Manisa, western Turkey. The liquid in the pipe caused the soil in nearby areas to turn white and began to flow into a nearby stream.

Ahmet Vehbi Bakırlıoğlu, a Manisa MP of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), visited the site and talked to locals and officials from the Meta Nikel Kobalt company, which operates the mine.

The MP said the company told him that the liquid was calcium carbonate and samples taken from the liquid will be analyzed.

"We went to investigate the area after the image sent by a shepherd grazing his animals in the area called the 'rabbit field' in the Gördes district," he said.

"We don't know exactly how many hours it has been flowing. However, in our observations, we saw that the white liquid flowed for a long time and spread to the environment and mixed with a nearby stream.

"[The company] says it's a liquid they use to dilute acid. We invited the officials of the Directorate of Environment and Urbanization to the region. Officials came and took samples.

"We don't know exactly if it's calcium carbonate as the company said to us or something else. It will be revealed after the samples [are analyzed]."

The contaminated stream flows into the Çiçekli Dam, which also meets the industrial water needs of the Meta Nikel Kobalt company, said the MP.

"The company poses a risk to the region"

This wasn't the first time that an accident occurred in the company's facilities, Bakırlıoğlu said. "A few years ago, an environmental disaster almost occurred because of a problem caused by the tailings dam. Also, a tanker carrying sulphuric acid had an accident a few months ago.

"The activities of this company with sulfuric acid pose a great risk in this region. If this continues, these environmental disasters will continue to occur. The company also applied for an EIA a few months ago to establish Turkey's largest sulfuric acid plant and to increase its capacity.

"Despite all objections, the company was given an 'EIA' positive report. In other words, this company will increase its capacity in the coming days. Therefore, a great danger awaits the region in the coming months."

Third incident in four months

The incident in Manisa was the third similar incident over the past few months.

In December, a waste storage facility belonging to an iron ore mine in the Ayvalık district of the northwestern Balıkesir province collapsed. After the collapse, the waste containing heavy metals started to flow into a stream used for irrigation in the region.

In November, ponds used to store cyanide wastes in a mining facility in Şebinkarahisar, Giresun, collapsed. The wastes flew into a nearby stream. (TP/VK)