A professional group says it will investigate a report on the Eurogold company's plan to mine gold using cyanide in Turkey's Ovacik region.
The Turkish Union of Engineers' and Architects' Chambers plans to examine the report from the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), which concluded that Eurogold had taken every precaution to prevent the cyanide leaching method from harming the environment.
The Eurogold firm had planned to excavate gold in the Ovacik mine in Izmir.
"The report prepared by TUBITAK wouldn't affect the court decision stopping Eurogold from operating the Ovacik mine. However, we didn't want any question mark in people's minds, and for that reason we will examine (the) report,'' the leading economic daily Dunya quoted the professional group as saying.
Union Chairman Kaya Guvenc said, ``The Eurogold firm is using the TUBITAK report to mislead public opinion, as if it had taken new measures at Ovacik.
``There are issues here of law and science and scientific ethics as well. The TUBITAK report will be examined closely by a scientific examining committee with the help of our chambers. Our conclusions will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities."
Chamber of Forest Engineers' Izmir branch head, Ahmet Eraslan, on the other hand, said Eurogold's permit to use some forest land had been extended for five years, according to a Forestry Ministry document.
Ethem Tugruloglu, a board member of the professional chamber, said Eurogold had intensified its lobbying efforts."A law on the evaluation of effects on the environment was re-amended by tacking on an environmental effects amnesty for companies," he said. "This amendment seems to have been made for Eurogold." –(Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
