Cengiz Holding's cyanide mining project meets strong opposition in Murgul, Turkey

Cengiz Holding plans to build a cyanide‑based tank leach gold extraction facility in the Murgul district of Artvin Province, Turkey. The project was examined by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change's Evaluation Commission as part of the required Environmental Impact Assessment.

Local opposition groups, including the Murgul Siyanüre Hayır Platform, have warned that the proposal exceeds the scope outlined in the EIA and poses serious risks to the environment and public health. Platform board member Alper Şeyhoğlu said the project would "drive the final nail into Murgul's coffin," while founder Görkem Durmuş highlighted that the project's water‑pool capacities and ore grades do not match the submitted data.

Political figures have also voiced criticism. Yeni Party MP Uğur Bayraktutan reminded the ministry that Cengiz Holding signed a 2014 pledge not to build a cyanide plant in Murgul, calling the pledge a matter of honour. SOL Party MP Sercan Dede described the proposed cyanide tanks as a threat to the town's already strained environment. The opponents are urging the company to honour its earlier commitment and abandon the plan.