Background
An overseas-based company has been promoting a new product as a substitute for cyanide used in gold extraction. The company claims the reagent is environmentally friendly and can be safely transported by road, rail and sea. However, several mining companies receiving samples of the new reagent report that it contains between 17 to 27 wt % sodium cyanide (NaCN).
Summary of hazard
Samples of a reagent containing cyanide were transported in containers that were inappropriate for the hazardous nature of the contents. The containers and packaging were incorrectly labelled as non-hazardous and, with no indication that the packages contained a Division 6.1 toxic substance and dangerous good. This was in breach of the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004, Dangerous Goods Safety (Road and Rail Transport of Non-explosives) Regulations 2007 and the Australian Dangerous Goods Code (Ed. 7.4).
Contributory factors
- The product information for the new leach reagent has been presented in a manner that disguises the fact it contains sodium cyanide.
- The material safety data sheet (MSDS) that accompanied the samples had conflicting information regarding the safe handling of the chemicals. In one section, for example, it requires the owner to abide by relevant hazardous chemical codes, whereas in others it states that the product requires no hazardous chemical labelling.