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[QUOTE="Queen, post: 87123, member: 27"]
A global cyanide squeeze is rattling gold miners right as record bullion prices push them to crank up output.

Gold boom drives chemical crunch
[LIST]
[*]Sodium cyanide underpins over 90 percent of gold extraction.
[*]Higher prices pushed miners toward lower-grade ore needing more chemicals.
[*]Usage can reach 1.5 kilograms per tonne in tougher deposits.
[*]Draslovka has already sold out its entire 2026 production.
[/LIST]
Pressure on South African producers
[LIST]
[*]South Africa relies heavily on imports for sodium cyanide.
[*]Harmony Gold faces tighter margins if supplies tighten.
[*]Costs run about 1.50 to 2.00 dollars per gram recovered.
[*]Deep, aging mines feel extra strain from rising input prices.
[/LIST]
Global demand outpaces supply
[LIST]
[*]Market volume is forecast at 1.31 million tons in 2026.
[*]Mining accounts for more than 86 percent of total consumption.
[*]Expansion in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Peru absorbs fresh supply.
[*]Demand could rise 50 percent from 2025 levels.
[/LIST]
Environmental risks and alternatives
[LIST]
[*]Cyanide spills threaten waterways despite strict handling codes.
[*]The International Cyanide Management Code guides safer mining practices.
[*]Some firms promote non-toxic substitutes for gold leaching.
[*]Scaling greener options requires major investment and time.
[/LIST]
[/QUOTE]

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