ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Environmental Measurements

Gümüştaş Mining acts with social responsibility and aims to sustain its contributions to the society and the regions in which it operates. Click here for our Environmental Policy.

All of our mining activities involve rehabilitation works to maintain the environment. Gümüştaş’s Environment Unit carries out regular measurement and monitoring activities at Gümüştaş mines and enrichment facilities in line with EIA commitments and relevant legislation.

Dust Control

In all of our activities, we adhere to the dust emission limits specified in the Regulation on Control of Industrial Air Pollution. Accordingly, we regularly carry out the mandatory particulate and precipitate dust measurements in mine operations, as well as emission, PM10 and precipitate dust measurements in enrichment facilities.

Monitoring of Underground, Surface, Waste and Drinking Water

The impact footprint of our operations is identified through the analysis of groundwater and surface water, as well as drinking water and wastewater. Laboratories accredited by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization regularly take water samples from locations specified in the EIA commitments, and the results are analyzed and evaluated.

Groundwater Discharge and Control

Water runoff from underground galleries are kept at retention ponds until they meet the discharge standards in accordance with the Regulation on Control of Water Pollution before being discharged to water streams upon permission. Water samples are regularly taken from all discharge points.

Waste Storage Areas

Mine Waste Storage Area

Mine waste that is left after the removal of precious metals in ore enrichment is transferred to waste storage areas. These waste storage areas are built in accordance with relevant legislation, and operated in line with the Environmental License granted by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. We take samples in line with the parameters and frequency specified by the Ministry, and create Monitoring Reports.

Zero Waste

All of our operations are carried out with the aim of achieving zero waste. Accordingly, all of our waste is categorized in accordance with the code specified in Ministry of Environment and Urbanization’s regulations, and kept in code-compliant waste storage areas. Waste is then shipped to companies licensed by the Ministry for disposal and recycling. All waste data is entered to the Ministry’s MOTAT (Mobile Waste Monitoring) system. This makes it possible to track the type and amount of waste sent to any particular disposal company, and the subsequent disposal and recycling of the waste.