SAEDNEWS: This method, known as “Sustainable Gold Cyanidation Technology,” has completed a one-month laboratory-scale trial and is now ready for large-scale field demonstration. As gold mining production increases, attention is also growing on the environmental impacts of gold extraction.
According to Saed News, citing Asr Iran, scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia have developed a new process designed to improve gold recovery while recycling toxic cyanide used in mining.
The method, called “Sustainable Gold Cyanidation Technology,” has successfully completed a one-month laboratory-scale trial and is now ready for larger-scale field testing. As gold production increases, so does attention on the environmental impact of mining operations.
Cyanide in Gold Mining
Cyanide, a highly toxic chemical, is commonly used to extract gold from ore. If released into the environment, cyanide can pose serious ecological and public health risks. Since the 1970s, cyanide leaks have caused fish deaths and contamination of water and farmland.
In 2000, a waste dam at Romania’s Aurul Gold Mine failed, releasing 3.5 million cubic feet of cyanide-contaminated waste into the Tisza and Danube Rivers. The contamination affected water resources and aquatic life across a 400-kilometer (250-mile) radius.
Currently, the industry focuses on neutralizing residual cyanide in waste byproducts. CSIRO’s new technology is designed to further reduce these toxic compounds. Researchers Dr. Paul Broeer and Dr. Xianwen Dai are now seeking industrial partners to advance the technology.
Dr. Dai explained that the process recovers cyanide and other toxic compounds, some base metals, and valuable dissolved gold that typically remain in cyanide tailings. The method also reduces costs and risks associated with cyanide transport and storage.
Previous Advances in Gold Processing
This is not CSIRO’s first breakthrough in gold processing. Dr. Broeer’s team previously developed a cyanide-free gold extraction process called “Going for Gold,” which uses a non-toxic chemical called thiosulfate. The project won the 2014 Australian Mining Vision Award.
After pilot testing at a facility in Western Australia, the technology was commercialized in 2019 through the Australian company Clean Mining. With the new cyanidation process, researchers are now ready for the next stage.
Dr. Broeer added, “This technology could provide far greater economic and environmental benefits than currently possible with existing cyanide recovery methods. With enough interest, we aim to move toward a pilot program that could improve gold yields, environmental outcomes, and sustainability in the gold industry.”
Another Green Development
In a separate breakthrough, researchers at Flinders University in Australia found a greener, safer way to extract gold from ore and discarded electronic components. This innovative approach promises reduced toxic waste and a new method for recovering high-purity gold from diverse sources.
Their method uses a low-cost, harmless compound called trichloroisocyanuric acid, commonly used in water treatment. When activated with saline water, this reagent effectively dissolves gold, offering a safer alternative to conventional cyanide-based extraction.
