According to the information compiled by the AA correspondent, while efforts to reintroduce lands damaged by mining activities to nature have developed over the years with legislation and practices, a financial liability has also been added to the process with the recent introduction of the rehabilitation fee.
The procedures and principles regarding the restoration of lands damaged by mining activities to nature were specially regulated with the regulation published in 2007. With the "Regulation on Restoring Land Degraded by Mining Activities to Nature" published in 2010, the procedures and principles of rehabilitation works were regulated with the principle that the rehabilitation process should be evaluated and finalized as a whole during the EIA process for the mining activity in question.
In this context, rehabilitation was not limited to afforestation works carried out only after the activities, but was considered as a process that included rearranging the degraded land, ensuring ground and slope security, taking erosion and drainage measures, protecting the soil and preparing the area for post-activity use.
Work on the rehabilitation of mining sites was carried out on a larger scale with the "Mine Sites Rehabilitation Action Plan", which started to be implemented in 2014.
According to the data compiled from the activity reports of the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM), rehabilitation work was carried out on approximately 5 thousand 783 hectares of mine sites in the 2014-2018 period within the scope of the Mine Sites Rehabilitation Action Plan.
With the ongoing work following the Action Plan, the area where rehabilitation work was carried out in the 2014-2025 period reached approximately 6 thousand 334 hectares.
Rehabilitated fields were included in the inventory with the TÜRMES Project
While GDF's efforts to reintroduce mining sites in forest areas to nature continue, the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG) launched the Turkey-Wide Rehabilitated Mining Sites and Mining Social Responsibility Studies Identification Project (TÜRMES) in 2022, in order to collect the mining sites rehabilitated by different institutions and license holders across Turkey in a single inventory.
Within the scope of the project, it was aimed to identify rehabilitated mining areas throughout Türkiye on site and create a comprehensive inventory of these areas.
According to the latest data, while 217 rehabilitated areas in 56 provinces were examined, it was determined that 13 thousand 584 hectares of land were rehabilitated and 25 million 251 thousand 884 trees and plants were planted in these areas.
Following the identification and inventory of the rehabilitation works, the process was moved to a new stage by supporting the obligations with financial assurance.
With the amendment made to the Mining Law last year, the obligation to pay "rehabilitation fee" for operating licenses was increased.
With the Regulation on Rehabilitation in Mining Sites, which came into force this year, the procedures and principles regarding the collection, evaluation and refund of the price in question, as well as the implementation and supervision of rehabilitation works, were determined.
With the regulation, it has become mandatory for rehabilitation works to be started with the mining activity, to be continued throughout the activity, and to be completed after the operation ends. Thus, the rehabilitation obligation previously included in the legislation was also financially secured by the application of the rehabilitation fee.
"The license holder's responsibility does not end until the rehabilitation process is completed."
Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Abdullah Tancan, in his evaluation of the issue to the AA correspondent within the scope of the 4th Mine Rescue Competition, said that responsible mining is an approach that takes care of human health and the environment.
Tancan stated that in this context, the risks that activities may pose are evaluated during the approval process of operating projects and said, "We inspect our mines in the low-risk group at least once every four years, our mines in the risky group at least once every two years, and our mines in the high-risk group at least once a year." he said.
Explaining that during the inspections, it is examined whether the enterprises are operating in accordance with their approved projects and whether the activities pose a risk, Tancan stated that if a life-threatening risk is detected, the activities are stopped, and permission is given again after it is determined on-site that the risk has been eliminated.
Tancan pointed out that the rehabilitation process of the mining areas is also closely followed and continued his words as follows:
"With the law enacted in 2025, rehabilitation processes have been given a much healthier structure. We now keep the rehabilitation fees received from mining operating license holders in separate accounts and these fees are accrued at the current rate. Thus, they do not remain the same amount as when they were deposited. If the rehabilitation fee is sufficient when the mining activity ends, there is no problem. If there is an excess amount in the account after the rehabilitation is completed, the license holder can take it back. If the fee is not sufficient for rehabilitation, the license holder covers the difference. The license holder is responsible before the rehabilitation process of the mining areas is completed. "It does not end. While the license law is finalized, we monitor whether the obligations in the rehabilitation project are fulfilled."
Pointing out that the public is in a regulatory, supervisory and policy-making position in responsible mining, Tancan said, "There are also publicly operated mines, but a significant part of the mining activities are carried out by private companies. We inspect whether these companies operate in accordance with their operating projects and ensure that their deficiencies regarding rehabilitation are completed." he said.
Pointing out that mines are inspected in various aspects by different public institutions, Tancan said, "Relevant units and inspectors of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security inspect mine workplaces in terms of occupational health and safety. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change also has inspections in terms of environmental impacts." shared his knowledge.
Tancan stated that artificial intelligence and digital technologies are also used to improve occupational health and safety in the mining sector and said, "License holders benefit from both artificial intelligence and digital opportunities. Various research and practices are being carried out on what more can be done to reduce risks in terms of occupational health and safety." he said.
