Search

Chemical and Hydrometallurgical Evaluation of C₆Na₃O₃N₆ as a Cyanide Substitute for Gold Leaching

Leend
4 days ago
2 min read

The Promining Metallurgical Research Unit (PT Metalon Henze Karsa) has published a new technical article titled:

“Chemical and Hydrometallurgical Critique of C₆Na₃O₃N₆ as a Proposed Cyanide Substitute for Gold Leaching”

Authors: Diani Damaiyani, Steffen Leendertz

Manuscript date: 19 November 2025

Abstract

A reagent designated as C₆Na₃O₃N₆, described as “carbide sodium cyanurate,” has been proposed as an environmentally friendly replacement for sodium cyanide in gold extraction, particularly within artisanal and small-scale mining sectors. Its claims are presented in the technical document Paparan Kajian, Pengujian dan Penerapan Teknologi Reagent Pemisah Emas Ramah Lingkungan (C₆Na₃O₃N₆) sebagai Pengganti Sodium Sianida (NaCN) (TG03 Paparan Penerapan Reagent Ramah Lingkungan C₆Na₃O₃N₆), which asserts that this compound can dissolve gold through chemical pathways analogous to cyanide leaching.

This article provides an extensive mechanistic, thermodynamic, ligand-field, and structural analysis of these assertions. The evaluation reveals that the cyanurate anion derived from C₆Na₃O₃N₆ is structurally incapable of coordinating gold, lacks the redox potential required to oxidize metallic gold, and cannot form any soluble gold complexes under aqueous metallurgical conditions. Furthermore, several of the reaction schemes and structural analogies presented in the original document contradict established chemical principles, including charge balance, mass conservation, redox electron accounting, and known gold speciation behavior. The reagent demonstrates no chemical functionality relevant to gold dissolution and cannot be regarded as a lixiviant.

To contextualize this conclusion, the article also reviews validated cyanide-free leaching systems—such as thiosulfate, halide, and glycine–peroxide chemistries—and explains why these systems succeed where C₆Na₃O₃N₆ fundamentally cannot. The discussion integrates structural chemistry, reaction thermodynamics, and empirical test evidence to clarify why the reagent’s proposed mechanism is untenable and why its theoretical foundations are scientifically unsound. Within Promining’s broader mission of supporting safe, efficient, and scientifically grounded mining practices in Indonesia, this analysis contributes to protecting artisanal miners from ineffective chemical products and ensuring that new technologies introduced to the market undergo proper metallurgical scrutiny.

Keywords

Gold leaching; cyanide alternatives; cyanurate chemistry; C₆Na₃O₃N₆; hydrometallurgy; coordination chemistry; artisanal mining; reagent evaluation; lixiviant mechanisms; leaching thermodynamics; community mining protection; Promining; Indonesia.

Download Paper