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Joint UNEP/Industry Sector Initiatives
Previous UNEP/Industry Sector Initiatives
The International Cyanide Management
Code for the Gold Mining Industry
The Scope of The Code
The International Cyanide Management Code for the Gold
Mining Industry ("the Code") is a voluntary initiative
for the gold mining industry and the producers and transporters
of the cyanide used in gold mining. It is intended to complement
an operation’s existing regulatory requirements.
The Code focuses exclusively on the safe management of cyanide
that is produced, transported and used for the recovery
of gold, and on cyanidation mill tailings and leach solutions.
The Code was originally developed for gold mining operations,
and addresses production, transport, storage, and use of
cyanide and the decommissioning of cyanide facilities. It
also includes requirements related to financial assurance,
accident prevention, emergency response, training, public
reporting, stakeholder involvement and verification procedures.
For more information, please visit the website for the
International
Cyanide Management Code for the Gold Mining Industry.
UNEP's Involvement: Past and Present
The International Cyanide Management Code for the Gold
Mining Industry ("the Code") was developed under
the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) and the International Council on Metals & the
Environment (ICME).
Currently, the International
Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI) administers the
Code. It is a non-profit corporation with a multi-stakeholder
Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is responsible
for establishing policies, standard operating procedures,
and approving any Code revisions. The Institute is led by
the President who is also a Chair of the Board of Directors.
UNEP is represented in the Board of Directors by Ruth
Coutto. The Board of Directors meets four times a year,
twice by teleconference and twice through meetings.
The Code is one of UNEP's success stories both in terms
of process and results. The Code represents a significant
advancement in the self-regulation of the global gold industry,
and it is an important tool for the industry and its stakeholders
in the ongoing effort to minimize both the likelihood and
the impact of incidents in the future. With broad implementation,
the Code should continue to be instrumental in reducing
not only the frequency and severity of cyanide incidents
but also the fear associated with the chemical's continued
use.
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