COMPANY INSIGHT
Sponsored by: Chemours
Chemours Mining Solutions: A Leading Partner to Gold and Silver Mines
Every year, the gold mining industry needs more sodium cyanide to produce a single ounce of gold. While the risks associated with using this critical reagent are well-understood, mining operations don’t always have dedicated specialists on-site focused on the continued reduction of the costs and risks associated with using sodium cyanide.
Chemours has been a leader in the sodium cyanide industry for over 60 years, supporting their customers with expertise on how to improve their day-to-day operations. By spending time on-site with customers, Chemours has helped mines all across the Americas improve their safety and operational performance.
More than half of the country’s coal mines are managed by pro-Russian separatist militia.Credit: DmyTo/Shutterstock.
More than half of the country’s coal mines are managed by pro-Russian separatist militia.
Credit: DmyTo/Shutterstock.
A Legacy of Leadership
Chemours has leveraged its decades of experience and expertise to set the standard for industry-leading innovations and safety practices. As part of this endeavor, Chemours helped to develop the International Cyanide Management Code for the Manufacture, Transport, and Use of Cyanide in the Production of Gold ("The Cyanide Code") as a founding member of the International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI). Through involvement with the ICMI--and in collaboration with the mining industry--Chemours continues to drive innovation in sodium cyanide safety and management.
To support safe and efficient use of sodium cyanide in mining, Chemours offers:
- Safer IBC packaging via EcoPak containers that are collapsible, easier to unload, durable, use zero nails or wood, are 80% lighter in weight and can be unloaded 50% faster
- Comprehensive training, assistance, and safety protocols designed to protect employees engaged in the handling of sodium cyanide
- ICMI Cyanide Code training and support
- Certified driver/operators who use pre-assessed, hazard-mitigated routes to make deliveries to mine sites safe and effective
- On-site unloading services (where available), so employees spend less time handling materials
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Expertise in the Cyanide Code and Beyond
At the heart of their customer partnerships are full-time, highly experienced regional teams dedicated to product stewardship and technical support. In addition to advising customers on all aspects of the Cyanide Code, this group of skilled professionals provides engineering and safety expertise to help reduce cost and risk in precious metals mining cyanide operations.
In Latin America, experts like Hector Martinez are frequent visitors to mining sites, regardless of how remote. Hector, who provides technical support for the Mining Solutions business, says customers are grateful for the help he provides during process startups, or when modifications are being made, making sure that operations can continue to run smoothly.
Also in Latin America, Zaida Larque plays a key role in providing safety training to local emergency responders who would react to any mine site incident involving sodium cyanide. As a product safety consultant for Chemours, Zaida has been an instrumental part of their annual emergency response training exercises in Mexico, where personnel get both classroom and hands-on training on safe handling of cyanide and how to respond to spills or rescue personnel.
In North America, Canada-based Michael Cameron is an experienced technical field representative who visits mines to provide guidance on the safe handling and distribution of cyanide. Part of Michael’s role is to advise mining companies on the many aspects of process safety management, helping them lower the risks associated with sodium cyanide. By advising them on best practices, Michael also helps mines reduce maintenance cost and downtime in their cyanide circuits.
By offering strong onsite support, training programs, and a dedication to innovation, Chemours aims to go beyond being viewed as just a supplier and to be seen instead as a trusted partner. The Chemours team of experts can help fill safety and operational knowledge gaps and keep mining operations running safely and efficiently.
