Cyanide Bans Worldwide

Sodium cyanide is a highly toxic agent, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Costa Rica, Montana and Wisconsin, and several Argentine provinces have imposed bans on the exploitation and use of sodium cyanide. Although other countries have not banned the exploitation and use of sodium cyanide, they have certain restrictions on their storage and transportation.

1. Costa Rica

In 2002, Costa Rica suspended the opening of cyanide leaching mining.

2. Argentina

Some provinces in Argentine prohibit cyanide mining, but there is no ban at the federal level.

Cyanide mining, open-pit mining and extraction of metals are prohibited in Chubute province. (August 5, 2003)

Rio Negro province bans the use of cyanide in the extraction, development and industrialization of metals (21 July 2005)

Cyanide mining, open pit mining and extraction of metals are banned in Tucuman province (20 April 2007)

The use of cyanide in metal detection, exploration, development and industrialization is banned in Mendoza (20 June 2007)

La Pampa province bans open pit mining, extraction of metals and the use of cyanide for exploration, development, extraction and storage of metals (16 August 2007)

Cordoba province bans open pit mining, extraction of metals and the use of cyanide for exploration, development, extraction and storage of metals (24 September 2008)

Rioha province bans the use of cyanide to extract metals (3 August 2007), but the ban was lifted (26 September 2008)

3. The United States

According to the Citizens 137 initiative approved by the US Montana Environmental Information Center on November 6, 1998, the state of Montana prohibits the use of cyanide for gold mining and open-air heap leaching. The Montana Supreme Court explained that the ban does not constitute a violation of the US Constitution.

According to the Colorado summit in the United States, Costilla, Gunnison, Conejos and Gilpin counties prohibit cyanide mining. However, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in a Decree of the Colorado Mining Association Complaints Commission that a county that is a state branch may not ban chemicals allowed under the Colorado Mining Land Reclamation Act, and federal law(encourage exploration, mining and extraction of valuable minerals) takes precedence over county regulations.

4. The European Union

The European parliament voted in 2010 to urge the European commission to enact a complete ban on cyanide extraction, but the commission has refused to recommend legislation. The main reason is likely to be that banning cyanide gold extraction in Europe would be bad for jobs, according to people familiar with the matter.

5. The Czech Republic

In 2002, the Czech parliament decided to ban gold cyanide leaching.

6. Germany

In 2006, Germany gradually reduced the amount of cyanide allowed in mining.

7. Hungary

In December 2009, the Hungarian Parliament voted in a campaign organized by the Hungarian Cyanide-Free Association to completely ban cyanide mining.

8. Turkey

In 2007, the Turkish State Council decided not to allow cyanide mining, based on Article 56 of the Turkish Constitution: “Protecting people’s right to live in a healthy environment.”

9. El Salvador

The Central American country El Salvador bans all forms of metal mining in the territory.

The El Salvador parliament voted on March 29, 2017, and a comprehensive ban on mining of metal mines was passed with the support of 70 members of different parties. This means that all metal exploration, refining and processing are prohibited, whether on the ground or underground; toxic chemicals such as cyanide and mercury are prohibited.

10. Vancouver

Sodium cyanide is classified as a Class 6 dangerous product in the Greater Vancouver Area of Transportation (the first level is the highest).

11. China

Regulations on the Safety Management of Chemical Dangerous Goods (promulgated by the State Council on February 17, 1987), Regulations for the Administration of the Safety of Chemical Dangerous Goods ([1992] no. 677), Regulations for the Safe Use of Chemicals in the Workplace ([1996] ministry of Labour no. 423) have made corresponding provisions on the safe use, production, storage, transportation, loading and unloading of sodium cyanide.

12. Zimbabwe

According to Zimbabwe’s Hazardous Substances Act, cyanide can only be sold to qualified customers in the mining and chemical industries by qualified chemical distributors. Most of these customers are gold miners who need to write documentary evidence that they have the right to hold and use cyanide.

Qualified chemical distributors must obtain a license from the Mining and Mineral Development Department.

After cyanide being banned, people who are doing gold leaching would have less choice of chemical. Luckily, we have CNLITE gold leaching reagent which can replace cyanide without changing the original process and equipment. It would be the best choice for the gold leaching plants owners.