Çanakkale gold and silver mining EIA decision canceled by courts

Courts in Çanakkale have issued rulings regarding the gold and silver open-pit mining project proposed by Türk Altın İşletmeleri (formerly Koza Altın İşletmeleri AŞ) in the Karapınar region. Out of five lawsuits filed against the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) positive decision issued by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, three resulted in cancellations and two were dismissed.

The Çanakkale 2nd Administrative Court canceled the EIA positive decision, citing that environmental risks could not be mitigated and that the project's impact on the Atikhisar Dam had not been sufficiently evaluated. The court also noted a lack of public interest in the plan. Expert reports indicated that the EIA report contained deficiencies regarding ecological and faunistic species identification, and that monitoring plans remained vague and insufficient.

Other legal actions were brought by the Çanakkale Municipality, environmental associations, and local residents. While some lawsuits were dismissed due to standing issues, the cancellation of the EIA decision remains a significant development. Türk Altın İşletmeleri has announced its intention to appeal the cancellation decisions to the Council of State.