Source: GNA
Journalists from the Western Region have attended a day’s workshop organized by AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem (AAI) Gold Mines on cyanide management.
The workshop also touched on the mines operations, governance and ethics, voluntary principles on security and human rights. The participants were from the print, electronic and wire service.
Mrs Margaret Edith Arko, Senior Metallurgical Accountant at the processing department, who gave an over view of cyanide management said it’s a chemical compound of carbon & nitrogen used in the gold mining industry for the dissolution of gold.
She said cyanide was also used as a critical ingredient in the pharmaceuticals (Vitamins (B12), computer electronics, fire retardants, airplane brakes and rocket propellant.Mrs Arko stated that even thought there was justifiable public concern about the use of cyanide in industrial settings coupled with that fact that it can be lethal if inhaled in sufficient amounts, it has been safely used for over hundred years around the world.
The Senior Metallurgical Accountant noted that to assist the global gold mining industry in improving cyanide management and minimize risks to workers, communities and the environment, AAI in 2001 subscribed to the cyanide code.
According to her, AAI Gold Mines became a cyanide code compliant in March 2016.
“The cyanide code is a voluntary industry programme for gold and silver mining companies which focus exclusively on the safe management of cyanide and cyanidation mill tailings and leach solutions” She said.
Iduapriem Gold Mines, she emphasized has adopted to the sparing System; where a designated track comes to the company’s site to sparge cyanide into the cyanide holding tank for use in its operations.
She indicated that, this system prevents direct personnel contact with cyanide.
Mrs. Arko added that cyanide emergency antidote such as first aid kits and cyanide drills are conducted periodically to test their emergency preparedness. “Daily inspections and monitoring by the environmental and Tailing Storage Facility team are carried out to detect any leakage” the Senior Metallurgical Accountant noted.
She said they have quarterly, mid-year nd yearly audit by independent bodies such as Environmental Protection Agency. Mrs Arko in addition said to ensure that their host communities were abreast with cyanide issues, they hold quarterly meetings with them.
The Senior Manager in charge of Sustainability, Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, delivered the welcome address at the workshop.
https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/general/171811/AAI-Gold-Mine-educates-Journalists-on-cyanide-management