The main advantage of heap leaching is that it protects the local environment. Because the cyanide solution is handled inside a closed leaching circuit (containment ponds, heap, drainage, ponds), any contamination of surface and groundwater is ruled out — and the environmental assessment has been approved by the national environmental authority.
The primary advantage of the heap-leach method is that it preserves the environmental conditions of the area. By choosing heap leach, mining and processing can continue while protecting the environment and natural resources. Pastures and adjacent areas are not affected by extraction operations.
Because the sodium cyanide solution is used in a closed-loop heap-leach cycle (storage pond, heap, drainage system, storage pond), any contamination of surface and ground water is ruled out. The environment inside and adjacent to the site and plant is monitored by the company's environmental services team.
The environmental assessment of the area has also been submitted to the National Department of Environment, and a clearance permitting mining operations and plant production has been obtained.
