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TECHNICAL ISSUESCYANIDE MANAGEMENTCyanide is widely used by the mining industry to assist in the extraction of metals from rock. In gold mining, a dilute cyanide solution is sprayed on crushed ore that is placed in piles, commonly called heaps, or mixed with ore in enclosed vats. The cyanide attaches to minute particles of gold to form a water-soluble, gold-cyanide compound from which the gold can later be recovered. Cyanide is used in a similar manner to extract silver from ores. In the extraction of non-precious metals, such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and molybdenum, cyanide is used in the milling and concentration processes to separate the desirable metals from the wastes. Consequently, cyanide and related compounds often are contained in mine tailings. Because of its toxicity, cyanide is a very emotive issue. In recent years, it has been banned in Turkey and the US state of Montana.
The "International Cyanide Management Code" for the manufacture, transport, and use of cyanide in the production of gold "Code" was developed by a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee under the guidance of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the International Council on Metals and the Environment (ICME). The Code is an industry voluntary program for gold mining companies. It focuses exclusively on the safe management of cyanide and cyanidation mill tailings and leach solutions. Companies that adopt the code must have their mining operations that use cyanide to recover gold audited by an independent third party to determine the status of Code implementation. Those operations that meet the Code requirements can be certified. A unique trademark symbol can then be utilized by the certified operation. Audit reports are made public to inform stakeholders of the status of cyanide management practices at the certified operation. The objective of the Code is to improve the management of cyanide used in gold mining and assist in the protection of human health and the reduction of environmental impacts. The specific means of implementing the Code described in this guidance document are not mandatory in order for an operation to become certified as Code compliant. An operation can achieve certification if it is able to demonstrate that its methods achieve the performance goal as stated in the Standard of Practice. The implementation guidance can be a useful tool for all stakeholders in that it describes an acceptable method that achieves the performance goals set by the Standards of Practice. To download the documents, please click on the link below:
More documents will be posted as they become available.
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