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5.1.1.1 Sodium Cyanide (Granular) <br />• Not currently (May 2004) onsite due to standby status of the mine. <br />Description: Sodium cyanide is a mill reagent, used for pyrite, chalcopyrite, lead and copper <br />depression. It is used in the grinding and flotation phase of the milling operation. Sodium <br />cyanide is a highly toxic chemical and special precautions are required when cleaning up a spill. <br />Sodium cyanide should be isolated from acids and water because cyanide gas can be formed and <br />liberated when mixed with water and acid. <br />Location: Granular sodium cyanide is stored in the cyanide storage and mixing room located on <br />the northwest end of the Regrind Tunnel. See Figures 1 and 2. <br />Spill Potential: Possible when moving drums. <br />• <br />Potential Volume Spilled: Most likely one drum would be the maximum amount spilled. <br />Prevention and Control: Granular cyanide spills aze prevented and controlled by (1) operator <br />caze and caution when moving drums, and (2) a containment berm inside the storage and mixing <br />room. <br />Countermeasures: (1) Avoid breathing dust and avoid skin contact from a granulaz spill. (2) <br />Since the floor of the storage area is kept clean, the spill responder should use a clean shovel, <br />scoop the material into a clean, dry container and remove it from the spill area. (3) In the unlikely <br />event granulaz sodium cyanide comes into contact with water or acid, it can be neutralized with <br />caustic and hypochlorite, but this should be undertaken only by trained personnel with <br />appropriate personal protective equipment and using fans to disperse vapors. <br />Nearest Clean-up Equipment: A spill control kit is located in the west end of the mill, adjacent <br />to the Regrind Area and Pebble Lime Storage. See Figure 2. Clean shovels and dry containers <br />aze available in the cyanide storage room. A barrel of caustic soda beads is on hand in the <br />cyanide storage and mixing room, and hypochlorite is available at the Domestic Water Treatment <br />Plant. <br />Visual Inspections and Integrity Testing: Checked daily during operation of mill; inspected <br />weekly during shutdown. <br />Reporting: Ruptured drums and clean-ups amounting to more than ten pounds should be written <br />up on the attached "Spill Incident Form" (see Appendix 1) and given to the Environrnental <br />Department immediately. Although extremely unlikely, major spills of granulaz cyanide <br />threatening waters of the State aze subject to the reporting requirements given in Section 4.2, 4.3, <br />and 4.4. Sodium cyanide has a reportable quantity of ten pounds and is a "P" listed hazazdous <br />material. <br />• Conformance with Applicable Requirements: Since no cyanide is in use [at the time of this <br />writing (May 2004)] the facility is in conformance with applicable regulatory requirements. <br />14 <br />