Gürsu villagers protest planned mining project

Residents of the Dışkaya neighborhood in the Gürsu district of Bursa, Turkey, organized a protest using tractors to oppose a planned mining operation and marble crushing-screening facility. The project covers approximately 100 hectares and is located about 900 meters from the residential area. It aims to extract 200,000 cubic meters of material annually, consisting of 20,000 cubic meters of marble and 180,000 cubic meters of waste.

Protesters expressed significant concerns regarding the environmental and economic impact of the project. Murat Demir, President of DOĞADER, noted that mining license applications were filed shortly after major forest fires affected the region last year. He emphasized that the project area includes land officially registered as forest land and argued against opening quarries in forested zones.

Local leaders also highlighted risks to agriculture and vital resources. Concerns were raised that dust from blasting and crushing operations could damage the production of Santa Maria pears, a major local crop. Additionally, neighborhood head Gürol Şişek warned that the mining activities could threaten water resources used by approximately 12,000 people.