Can you discuss how important Nevada is to Cyanco’s operations?

Over 30 years ago, Cyanco made the strategic decision to build our production facilities in the center of Nevada’s mining country, and our Winnemucca plant remains the heart of Cyanco’s operations today. We manufacture both Solid and Solution sodium cyanide at this facility and are very close to many of our North American customers. Because of our proximity, we have been able to develop a robust Nevada supply chain that is unmatched for its reliability of supply, including vendor-managed inventory controls at the mines. The highest concentration of mines in Nevada is located along the I-80 corridor and in the Tonopah and Eureka regions. These mines use a lot of reagents, so it is essential for Cyanco to deliver to them daily. Despite ongoing global supply chain constraints, Cyanco has leveraged the expertise of our logistics and supply chain teams, and we’re proud to say that we did not miss any customer shipments, even throughout the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our infrastructure in Nevada, alongside the road and rail systems, plays a large role in the success of Cyanco and the mining industry here.

How is Cyanco’s Applied Technology Team helping minimize the environmental impact of cyanide?

The focus on ESG in today’s mining culture is key to the industry’s effort to minimize environmental impact. Cyanco actively collaborates with mines to improve their ESG performance, starting with the optimization of their cyanide usage. When mines use the optimal volume of a reagent to extract precious metals, they gain production efficiencies on the front end and reduce waste at the back end. We also play a role in the final phase of the cyanide circuit, helping customers design and implement efficient detoxification systems, so no harmful materials or pollutants are released into the environment.

Cyanco also helps customers achieve and maintain their International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC) certifications. This voluntary certification program helps mines safely use cyanide and limits the risk to human health and the environment. As a founding member of ICMC, Cyanco also holds itself to the highest safety standards including best-in-class production and maintenance procedures, packaging that minimizes the risk of spills or incidents, and the use of ICMC-certified transportation carriers who follow optimized supply chain routes when delivering products. Our Applied Technology Group also invests in developing innovative new technologies, and we are actively looking at non-cyanide lixiviants right now. Cyanco’s joint technology agreement with Cycladex, for example, is focused on the treatment of refractory ore, which is more difficult to process with traditional oxidation processes. We see an opportunity to re-process tailings that still contain valuable minerals, a concept that is very aligned with the new circular economy and the push to reduce resource consumption.

Can you expand on Cyanco’s social initiatives?

Cyanco was the first vendor to join Nevada Gold Mines in their I-80 Program initiative, which helps businesses along the I-80 corridor with low-interest loans. Another example of our involvement is Cyanco’s sponsorship of a laboratory-training opportunity called “STEM Sisters.” This program is run by the University of Nevada, Reno and it allows young women coming from socio-economic hardship to participate in real-world laboratory experiences in areas such as microbiology, immunology, and thermal ecology. STEM Sisters also provides them with the opportunity to experience STEM-related fields beyond the lab and helps encourage more female engineers to join the mining industry. Our vision is to build technical skills and opportunities for Nevadans and fill future jobs in the growing mining and related economy.