CYANIDE MANAGEMENT

LEADING PRACTICES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE

MINING INDUSTRY

CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
2 CYANIDE IN MINING
Cyanide in context
Gold extraction
Alternatives to cyanide
Cyanide treatment, recovery and reuse
Control of process losses
3 CYANIDE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Cyanide ecotoxicology
CASE STUDY: Sunrise Dam gold mine, tailings and
compliance with the ICMC
Environmental incidents
Monitoring
4 SUSTAINNABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CYANIDE
MANAGEMENT
Mining and sustainable development
Management
tools
to
achieve
sustainable
development
The International Cyanide Management Code
Adapting the International Cyanide Code
CASE STUDY: Experience of Cowal gold mine first
ICMI certification in Australia
5 RISK MANAGEMENT OF CYANIDE USE

CASE STUDY: Development of mini-sparge

cyanide mixing process at Beaconsfield gold
mine
CASE STUDY: The transport and delivery of
sodium cyanide solution from Kwinana to
Sunrise Dam gold mine (SDGM) in Western
Australia
6 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN
AUSTRALIA
7 CONCLUSION

OVERVIEW
Cyanide Management is one of 14 themes in the Leading Practice
Sustainable Development Program for the Mining Industry.
The program aims to identify the key issues affecting sustainable
development in the mining industry
to provide information and practical case studies that identify
sustainable approaches for the industry.

CYANIDE MANAGEMENT
The key to leading practice cyanide management is to assess risks as early as
possible, including environmental, human health, economic and reputational.
The evidence of the adverse effect on industry reputation is demonstrated in the
origins of the Codes development by the United Nations Environment Program
(UNEP)
Mining companies that adopt the Code may
improved protection of wildlife
improved relations with both the public and regulatory agencies
improved economic and environmental performance
reduced risks and liabilities
improved access to capital and potentially lower insurance costs.

CURRENT SITUATION
Managing cyanide to minimise risks
to human and environmental health
represents one of the key challenges
that continues to face the mining
industry
In order to assist the global mining
industry to improve its management
of cyanide
the Code was developed by a multi
stakeholder steering committee and
is
today
managed
by
the
International Cyanide Management
Institute (ICMI 2006) to provide a
risk-based management process by
which the mining industry is able to
implement and demonstrate that it
can meet leading practice for
cyanide management.

CASE STUDY: DEVELOPMENT OF MINI-SPARGE CYANIDE

MIXING
PROCESS AT BEACONSFIELD GOLD MINE

REPORTERS: Adel Nio L. Iligan & J-kee Aquiles

Cedeo

KEY STATEMENT
Oricas Yarwun facility
commenced operations in 1989
located about eight kilometres by road from Gladstone,
Queensland
Producer of cyanide that can be package in three ways
with each product having its own particular application
1. sparge-solid cyanide briquettes
2. IBC-solid cyanide briquettes
3. ISO tank containers for liquid cyanide

Beaconsfield gold mine

. When commissioned in 1999 in Tasmania received
cyanide in 21-tonne IBC containers that were transported
in sea containers.

STATEMEN
T OF
FACTS
CASE STUDY : Development
of mini-sparge cyanide mixing
process at Beaconsfield gold
mine

KEY STATEMENT
When cyanide solution was required for the process, a onetonne box was retrieved from the compound where two
operators with full personal protective equipment (PPE)

equipment, including gas masks, mixed the cyanide in a

barricaded area.

The cyanide bags were removed lifted by overhead crane to a

mixing vessel partly filled with water to allow dissolution.
installation of the Orica Minisparge system that has 22
tonne-capacity iso-containers unloaded onto plinths adjacent
to a 5000 litre sparging tank.

The mini-sparge system is now being embraced by operations

within Australia that have

low cyanide consumption (<1000

tonnes per annum) including base metal treatment plants that

STATEMEN
T OF
FACTS
CASE STUDY : Development
of mini-sparge cyanide mixing
process at Beaconsfield gold
mine

1. Eliminating the risk of on-site cyanide mixing

2. The efficiency of installing mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process

DEFINITION
OF
THE
PROBLEM
CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine

Step-by-step
approach
ELIMINATING HAZARDS THROUGH COLLABORATION
The Beaconsfield Gold Mine that is located in north east region
of Tasmania approached Oricas Yarwun facility to assist in
improving the safe handling of cyanide at its facility.
Beaconsfield Gold Mine was using a typical box mixing facility
at the time.
Oricas experienced technical team should worked with the
management of Beaconsfield Gold Mine in Australia to help
eliminate the hazards of mixing and using cyanide on-site.
Job safety analysis was conducted to identify the health and
safety hazards on the cyanide mixing procedure.
Orica Mini-Sparge cyanide mixing process was identified as a
key component of achieving this goal.

ALTERNATIV
E SOLUTION
TO THE
PROBLEM
CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine

Step-by-step
approach
ELIMINATING HAZARDS THROUGH COLLABORATION

The unit was installed in a collaborative project between

Beaconsfield Gold Mine and Orica.
It consisted of a 20 tonne ISO tank, a Mini-Sparge pump and a
full control system integrated into the existing infrastructure.
To ensure the safe operation and mixing of cyanide, the system
was subjected to Oricas hazard study process to improve
safety.

ALTERNATIV
E SOLUTION
TO THE
PROBLEM
CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine

Mini-sparge unit

Click icon to add picture

Click icon to add picture

BEFORE: Bag mixing operation

with full PPE

AFTER: Single push

button

ELIMINATING HAZARDS THROUGH COLLABORATION

THE OUTCOME

Step-by-step
approach
Development of procedure

In increasing the efficiency of the mini-sparge prior to its

installation the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and Orica should
conduct operator training program that would be the
basis to developed an efficient procedure.
Orica should installed and monitored the mini sparge
plant before training the onsite staff in cyanide handling
and the mini sparge operation.

ALTERNATIV
E SOLUTION
TO THE
PROBLEM
CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine

Step-by-step
approach
Development of procedure

ALTERNATIV
E SOLUTION
TO THE
PROBLEM
CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine

Simplified Process Flow and Layout

Opinion and
Analysis
Since

installation

of

the

cyanide

Mini-

Sparge

unit

at

Beaconsfield Gold Mine, site operators and management have

observed greatly improved economics and procedural safety at
the plant leading to an overall improvement in mine site safety.
Other benefits include reductions in the reliance on PPE and the
loss of containment during transportation, the elimination of

CONCLUSION

hazardous packaging waste and a less labour intensive process.

Technology alone, however, does not deliver results. Oricas
experienced technical team should worked with the site operators
before, during and after the installation to ensure that the full
safety and operational benefits of their products would be
realised.

CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine

KEY MESSAGES

The transport, storage, use and disposal of cyanide at a

mine site can be hazardous both to human health and the
environment.
Leading practice cyanide management requires that the
risk of damage is minimised by understanding the
properties of cyanide.
Trainingall supervisors should be formally trained in
safety principles.
inspections should be carried out frequently to check on
procedures and critical equipment.

LEARNING
POINTS/INPUTS
CASE STUDY :
Development of mini-sparge
cyanide mixing process at
Beaconsfield gold mine