Following the landslide that occurred in the Çöpler Mine belonging to Anagold Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., operating in İliç district of Erzincan, it was reported that a group of workers remained underground in the area outside the mine. There are cyanide wastes in this region, allegedly belonging to Anagold Mining. Cyanide is a toxic chemical substance that can cause serious harm to human health.
Landslide in Erzincan İliçi event, Çöpler Gold Mineas well as which is used in gold mining and is known to be extremely poisonous. cyanidecaused the reputation to come to the fore again. Cyanide is also known as hydrocyanic acid or prussic acid and is a fast-acting poison.
What is Cyanide? Effects on Human Health
It is widely used in gold exploration in Turkey. Cyanide has the ability to rapidly pollute air, water and soil and is highly toxic. It is known to be. In an article in the Turkish Medical Association Continuing Medical Education Journal, Dr. Tülay Renklidağ and Dr. Asude Gökmen Karaman provides important information about cyanide.
Cyanideextremely a volatile substance It evaporates rapidly in hot dry air. It is flammable in air at high concentrations, and cyanide can be detected in blood tests in post-fire victims. Approximately 20% of cyanide produced worldwide is used in mining. Poisoning usually occurs by ingesting substances containing cyanide, but can also occur through inhalation or skin contact.
Cyanide prevents oxygen from reaching the tissues in the body, causing histotoxic hypoxia. This is a condition where oxygen is normally transported to tissues but cannot be used. cyanide poisoning It is a fast-acting poison and symptoms usually appear quickly and death can also be rapid. Depending on the form of cyanide, symptoms of poisoning may appear suddenly or more slowly.
If poisoning occurs through inhalation, the person should be taken to fresh air immediately. risk of contamination Therefore, clothes should be removed and the skin should be washed with soapy water. Eyes should be washed with plenty of water for at least 15-20 minutes. The rescue team should use protective equipment against the risk of secondary contamination and minimize contact with the patient.
Use of Cyanide in Gold Mining
The reason why cyanide is used in gold exploration is that it is an effective method to separate gold from ore. Different methods can be used depending on the quality of the ore, but the basic goal is the same in all cases: To separate cyanide and gold by mixing them.
In closed facilities, cyanide and gold are mixed thoroughly in a vehicle. In open facilities, cyanide is sprayed on the ore. In both methods, cyanide binds to gold ions and becomes water-soluble. In this way, gold is easily separated using elements such as zinc or carbon and high purity gold is obtained.
However, the cyanide used in this process is itself an extremely toxic substance. Liquid cyanide is stored in waste ponds. The slightest leak that may occur in these warehouses can lead to serious environmental crises. Additionally, depending on the structure of the mine, other toxic chemicals such as arsenic may be released in the process and may harm nature if safety precautions are not taken.
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