Which country does SSR Mining, which caused the disaster in İliç, belong to?
Canadian Ambassador Kevin Hamilton issued a statement following the collapse of the cyanide pool at the gold mine, which resulted in nine workers being trapped under a landslide and cyanide waste spilling into nature in İliç.
Despite all warnings, Hamilton refuted widespread rumors on social media that SSR Mining, the gold mining operation that the government had promoted but eventually turned into an inevitable environmental disaster, was "a Canadian company."
'The volume of the sliding mass in Iliç is 10 million cubic meters'
In his statement on social media platform X, Hamilton wrote, "The mining operation in Erzincan is not owned by Canada."
Hamilton's statement faced harsh criticism from both professional journalists who publish their own findings on social media platforms and individual social media users, alleging that he was covering up the truth. For instance, journalist Işın Eliç shared on platform X, "The Canadian Ambassador says there's no Canadian ownership of the mine in İliç, but we can see from their website that SSR Mining, which owns 80% of the company, is subject to the Canadian Companies Act."
SSR Mining is a multinational corporation
SSR Mining is indeed a multinational corporation, with its headquarters located in Vancouver, Canada. However, the list of countries where SSR Mining operates, establishes joint ventures, and owns assets is extensive:
-
Canada: SSR Mining's headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada. The company operates three mines and one processing facility in Canada.
-
United States: SSR Mining owns two mines and one processing facility in the United States.
-
Turkey: SSR Mining owns 40% of the Hod Maden mine in Artvin, Turkey, with Çalık Holding being the major partner.
-
Mexico: SSR Mining is the owner and operator of the Pitarrilla mine in Mexico.
-
Peru: SSR Mining owns and operates the Chala and Yauricocha mines in Peru.
-
Argentina: SSR Mining is the owner and operator of the Pirquitas mine in Argentina.
SSR Mining's workforce composition, like its capital, is multinational, employing over 4,000 workers from various countries.(AEK/PE)