Miners trapped underground after gold pit collapses in Turkey

Rescue efforts could be prolonged due to high levels of toxic cyanide in the area

Nine gold mine workers are trapped underground after a cyanide-laced field in Turkey collapsed over their open pit on Tuesday, prompting a search involving hundreds of rescuers.

The landslide at the mine in the remote Ilic district of the eastern Erzincan province, swept across a valley and crashed into a road where some of the workers were travelling by vehicle.

There was no news from nine out of 667 mine employees after the landslide, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

"We installed our [rescue] vehicles, our generators and our night-lighting equipment," Mr Yerlikaya told state-run TRT television.

"We have only one wish: to be able to give good news to the families of these brothers."

Experts and local officials said the search was complicated by the presence of cyanide – a highly toxic chemical compound used to extract gold from ore – in the ground.

"Cyanide soil collapsed" at the site, Independent Mining Labour Union representative Basaran Aksu said.

"Good specialist equipment must be used by expert teams when responding to cyanide sites," he added.

"The work may take a very long time because of the cyanide field," which is reported to be one Turkey's largest.

Miners trapped underground in Turkish coal mine in 2022 - in pictures

People wait for news following an explosion in a mine in Amasra in the northern Bartin province, Turkey. Reuters

According to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, at least 28 people died in the blast on Saturday. EPA

A relative of a mine worker is overwhelmed with grief. Reuters

General view shows the coal mine as the search and rescue operation continues. Reuters

Relatives of missing miners gather in front of the mine in Amasra. AP Photo

A miner's relative is consoled following an explosion at a coal mine in Amasra, Turkey. EPA

Turkey's Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said the blast caused a fire in the mine's gallery. EPA

People wait at the explosion site for news of miners who remain trapped. EPA

The national disaster management service said the initial spark that caused the blast appeared to have come from a malfunctioning transformer. EPA

It later withdrew that report and said methane gas had ignited for 'unknown reasons'. EPA

Relatives of miners anxiously wait for news of their loved ones. EPA

Rescue efforts continued all night. Reuters

The local public prosecutor's office said it was treating the incident as an accident. Getty Images

'In all, 110 of our brothers were working. Some of them came out on their own, and some of them were rescued,' said Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. Getty Images

A full investigation will be launched. Getty Images

A mine worker who managed to escape the blast talks to media. Reuters / Cagla Gurdogan

At least 28 people died in the explosion. Reuters

The regional governor said a team of more than 70 rescuers had managed to reach a point in the pit about 250 metres below ground. Reuters / Kemal Aslan

Relatives of mine workers wait outside the mine. Reuters

'We are facing a truly regretful situation,' Mr Soylu told reporters. Reuters

Rescuers take a miner for treatment. Getty Images

Ambulances and firefighters arrive at the scene. Getty Images

The province lies on the northern bank of the Karasu river, a major tributary of the Euphrates, which runs from Turkey to Syria and Iraq.

Turkey's Environment Ministry said it had sealed off a stream that runs from the open pit to prevent contaminating the Euphrates.

Environmental activists and local officials tried to shut down the open pit mine after a cyanide leak in 2022.

The plant was shuttered for a few months but then reopened after its operator paid a fine, prompting an outcry from Turkey's opposition parties.

Anagold, a private company that runs the Ilic mine, said it was working to minimise the effects of this "painful" incident.

"We will mobilise all our means in order to urgently shed light on this incident," Anagold said in a statement.

Gold production at the site began in 2010, according to Turkish media reports.

Turkey is prone to deadly landslides and has suffered a string of mining accidents in recent decades.

A methane blast at a coal mine in the country's north-west killed 42 people in October 2022.