Karacadağ Protection Platform protests mining exploration

The Karapınar Karacadağ Protection Platform has issued a strong protest against mining exploration activities in the Karacadağ region, which spans the Konya districts of Karapınar, Ereğli, and Emirgazi.

Platform spokesperson Mehmet Suvatçı stated that the mountain is not merely a geological formation but a vital resource for the region's water, soil, livestock, and biodiversity. The platform expressed concern that converting the area into a mining site would destroy local life and ecological balance, particularly in the Ovacık area near the Yeşilyurt and Akören neighborhoods.

Members highlighted a significant contradiction: the mining search process is occurring simultaneously with the application process to establish the Karapınar Geopark with UNESCO. They warned that even initial exploration activities—including drilling, road construction, heavy vehicle traffic, noise, and dust—could cause irreparable environmental damage and threaten the area's potential status as a protected international heritage site.