Against the use of cyanide in mining, signed by about 250 professors from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

PROCLAMATION

For the ban of use of cyanide in the mining processes in Greece

The undersigned, members of staff of the Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, would like to state our serious concern regarding the
ongoing effort to license mining industries, which are using cyanide in
their production processes. We refer in particular to gold mining by the
«cyanide leaching gold recovery process» and also to dressing units of
sulfur containing minerals (pyrites). This technique results in severe
environmental problems. For this reason it has been totally banned
in certain European countries, with the most recent example that of
Hungary.

We mention that in our country there are large areas, especially in
Macedonia and Thrace, where the rocks contain very small quantities
of gold (grams per ton of rock). Its extraction entails processing of
millions of tons of rocks (extraction at a mountain scale). These rocks
will be treated with cyanide, and thereby they will be turned into cyanide
waste, containing uncontrollable cyanide quantities. Moreover, hydrogen
cyanide will be released to the atmosphere. Under these circumstances,
release of cyanide to the environment will be practically uncontrollable
and the consequences to human health will be unquestionable.
Undisputable is also the impact on the environment and the economy
(e.g. farming, tourist section).

For these reasons we urge the government to ban the use of cyanide in
the mining processes amending the respective laws, in order to protect
public health and the environment, and to preserve our homeland for the
generations to come.