If a new method of extracting gold without sodium cyanide were to become technically and economically viable, this will of course have an adverse effect on our business as it is today. We have invested substantial time and resources internally to try and find an alternative to current practices and technology, and mining companies have been making similar efforts as well. So far, all efforts have been unsuccessful, simply because sodium cyanide is a unique product, and I do not anticipate a drastic change in the short term. Several new companies and young engineers are trying innovative methods and we support those efforts entirely and join them when possible. The reality, though, is that new technologies in this industry take a long time to develop. It will be a long-term project, with a lot of trial and error.

We want to help our clients use cyanide more efficiently and safely, even if that means they buy less product from us. This is the goal of our Applied Technology group, to maximize the efficacy of the cyanide used and to reduce waste of cyanide. The first step was to bring product (solution) and packaging (ISO containers) that were both more efficient and safer than the current product offering in Mexico. The second step is to bring our clients onto the Sodium Cyanide Control System (CCS). The system would help our users to have better control on the cyanide dosing by taking real time samples and continuously adjusting up or down automatically as needed. This reduces under dosing, which results in loss of gold recovery or over dosing, which in turn results in wasted cyanide and possibly leaching unwanted metals. We want to help our customers use cyanide in the correct way and in the right quantity

There are a number of alternative technologies that are currently being developed to replace sodium cyanide. In Mexico, the Canadian companies are the most open to trying the new solutions. For example, Sandioss is an alternative to sodium cyanide that is environmentally friendly, and we are currently in the process of analyzing this product to assess how efficient it can be in comparison to sodium cyanide. With the help of nanotechnology, biomining is also becoming more and more viable and, in a few years, it could have a great effect on the mining sector by making it far more sustainable. However, these technologies are relatively new in Mexico and it will take some time before they are ready to enter the market. For now, as a sodium cyanide distributor we have a responsibility to handle our produce in a responsible manner that reduces the risk factor as much as possible.