The Ghana Chamber of Mines in collaboration with the International Cyanide Management Institute has held a two-day workshop on implementing and auditing the International Cyanide Management Code.
The workshop, the third in the series, was attended by over 160 participants from mining companies, haulage companies, auditors and regulators.
It looked at International cyanide management codes and standards, risk assessment and mitigation strategies, safe handling and transportation practices as well as environmental monitoring and rehabilitation.
Addressing the opening session, Dr Sulemanu Koney, Chief Executive Officer, the Ghana Chamber of Mines noted that the use of cyanide in gold extraction has been a long-standing practice.
However, he said, due to the potential risks associated with its handling, use and storage and the Chamber’s commitment to sustainability to ensure the safety of employees, local communities, and the environment, it was beneficial to continually apprise the industry and share knowledge on sodium cyanide.
He said the Mining Industry was committed to promoting responsible and sustainable mining practices.
“This workshop therefore demonstrates our commitment to improving cyanide management and minimizing its risks, “he said, adding that it will share best practices, discuss emerging technologies, and explore innovative solutions.
“By working together, we can enhance our collective performance and contribute to a safer, more sustainable mining sector,” Dr Koney added.
He underscored the importance of mining operations being safe and at least nature-neutral in creating broad based socioeconomic value.
“Not only related to the need to produce the critical minerals for the just energy transition but also continuing our traditional role of providing immeasurable value to our stakeholders vis a vis the need to limit our ecological footprint and impacts on our employees and communities,” he added.
Dr Koney said the ill-effects of illegal mining had put the industry in the spotlight and large-scale mining companies, though not directly in the line of fire, needed to differentiate themselves distinctively by operating responsibly.
“To operate responsibly, we need to be at the bleeding edge of innovation, knowledge, and consciousness to apply what we know in practice. Hence the importance of this workshop and to many more to be held going forward.”
He urged relevant mining companies to endeavour to comply with the Global Industry Standards for Tailings Management in addition to being certified by the ICMI, also be on a serious journey to comply with the GISTM.
In his opening remarks, Mr Paul Bateman, President, International Cyanide Management Institute, gave an overview about the cyanide code.
He said Cyanide was critical to Global Gold Industry as it ensured high recovery and economical compared with alternatives.
However, cyanide needed to be managed safely as it is highly toxic to humans and environment.
He explained that the code was a standards and certification programme for the gold and silver mining industry’s management of cyanide.
Cyanide Code is bringing rigour to the industry’s management of cyanide.
The Code provides an assurance framework for stakeholders to assess participants’ safe management of cyanide, to raise the bar on performance in a credible, transparent
manner to reduce the frequency and severity of cyanide related incidents, thereby protecting human health and the environment.
Additionally, it is to elevate the global industry’s performance by extending the Cyanide Code’s reach so that Code is the baseline for every gold and silver mining operation that uses cyanide.
Mr. Bateman further touched on the cyanide code objectives which included to drive safety, continuous improvement, accountability, and transparency in cyanide management with the aim of achieving zero harm to people and the environment and to protect workers, communities and the environment from the adverse effects of cyanide
It is also to elevate the global industry’s performance, improving management and reducing risk over entire cyanide supply chain: producers – transporters – mining operations and to serve as a credible form of assurance for stakeholders that operations are safely managing cyanide.
He added the benefits of implementation and certification of the code, including which reduced risk of releases and severity of releases that do occur, with corresponding reduction in potential fines, lawsuits and remediation costs.
Dr Eric Schwamberger, the Senior Vice President at ICMI, took participants through the cyanide code structure, auditors, auditing and audits.
He took participants through the specific documents for mining, transport and production operations. Some of these included verification protocols and guidance for use of the verification protocols.Â
