Mining's ESG Achievements
SSR Mining Publishes 2025 Report Detailing Strong Sustainability, Safety, and Water Reuse
SSR Mining has published its 2025 Sustainability Report, marking a turning point for a company still rebuilding its reputation after a deadly 2024 mine collapse. The report covers four operating mines from January 1 to December 31, 2025, and records zero workplace fatalities or life-altering injuries for the full year, according to Business Wire.
The company also re-used or recycled 92% of water across its mine sites in 2025, led by its Marigold and Cripple Creek & Victor operations in the USA. Community investment rose 55% year-over-year to more than $1.6 million, according to Business Wire.
A Safety Turnaround After the Çöpler Disaster
The 2025 report is best understood against the backdrop of February 2024, when a heap leach pad collapsed at SSR Mining's Çöpler mine in Türkiye, killing nine workers. The disaster triggered more than $149 million in remediation costs and forced a top-to-bottom review of the company's safety culture. SSR Mining spent $21.7 million on Çöpler cleanup in 2025 alone, according to company updates.
In response, SSR Mining rolled out an "I Care, We Care" safety initiative across its operations. William MacNevin, who leads the company's environmental, health, safety, and security efforts, has said that "getting our people home safe and healthy each and every day is foundational for our business." The zero-fatality result in 2025 is the clearest sign yet that the new culture is taking hold.
SSR Mining's Full Exit from Türkiye Takes Shape
The 2025 Sustainability Report focuses entirely on SSR Mining's Americas portfolio: Marigold and Cripple Creek & Victor in the USA, Seabee in Canada, and Puna in Argentina. Çöpler is absent from core operating metrics. That absence reflects a deliberate strategic exit. In March 2026, SSR Mining signed a deal to sell its 80% stake in Çöpler for $1.5 billion in cash, according to company press releases.
SSR Mining completed the acquisition of the Cripple Creek & Victor mine in February 2025, significantly expanding its US production base. Total mineral reserves jumped 40% year-over-year to 11.0 million gold equivalent ounces as a result of that deal, according to the company's full-year 2025 results.
Water Stewardship Stands Out in Arid US Operations
Water management is the environmental headline of the 2025 report. SSR Mining recycled or re-used 92% of all water consumed across its operating mines. The Marigold mine in Nevada and the Cripple Creek & Victor mine in Colorado drove that result. Both mines operate in arid western regions where water use is closely scrutinized by regulators and local communities, according to Business Wire.
The company's focus on water efficiency reflects both regulatory pressure and reputational strategy. After the Çöpler collapse damaged SSR Mining's ESG standing — ESG refers to environmental, social, and governance standards that investors use to judge companies — strong water metrics help rebuild credibility with institutional shareholders.
Shareholders Rewarded as Company Resets Its Financial Footing
SSR Mining's pivot to the Americas is not just a safety story — it is a financial one. In June 2026, the company announced a $500 million share buyback and reinstated its quarterly dividend of $0.03 per share. Executive Chairman Rod Antal said these moves "build on the $774 million we have returned to shareholders since 2021," signaling that the company sees itself as back on solid ground, according to ADVFN.
Not all observers are satisfied. Critics, including analysts at Nordic Monitor, have argued that the $1.5 billion Çöpler sale is an attempt to exit liability rather than resolve the underlying failures that led to the 2024 disaster. The local community in İliç, Türkiye, where the collapse occurred, continues to deal with long-term environmental consequences as the mine transitions to new ownership under Cengiz Holding.
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