PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESS Newswire / February 4, 2025 / Australian Gold Reagents' (AGR) Board has made a final investment decision to proceed with the expansion of its sodium cyanide production facility in Kwinana, Western Australia, positioning AGR as one of the world's largest sodium cyanide producers for the gold mining industry.
AGR General Manager Barney Jones said the expansion would enable the business to meet the growing global demand for sodium cyanide for gold mining operations, while delivering on its sustainability goals.
"The expansion will increase AGR's annual sodium cyanide production capacity by over 30 per cent, bringing total sodium cyanide solution capacity to approximately 130,000 tonnes per annum. It also includes an increase in our solids production capacity to facilitate increased exports to our international customers," Mr Jones said.
"Sodium cyanide plays a critical role in the extraction of gold from ore, and the expansion will allow us to meet rising demand from gold producers across Australia, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.
"The expanded plant will connect into established infrastructure at AGR's existing site, improving our operational efficiencies and providing safety benefits for our team.
"It will ensure we can continue to deliver a reliable and efficient supply chain for our customers, supporting the growth we are expecting to see both in Western Australian gold mining and in our export markets."
The expansion will also deliver significant environmental benefits, enhancing the plants' overall sustainability performance.
"One of the key components of the expansion is a new low-emissions incinerator, designed to safely and sustainably destroy waste product generated in the manufacturing process, while minimising greenhouse gas emissions," Mr Jones said.
"The new incinerator will enable us to significantly increase sodium cyanide production while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions intensity by approximately 28 per cent. It is partially funded by the Australian Government, thanks to a $7.5 million (AUD) Powering the Regions Fund grant, which supports industrial decarbonisation.
"Our expansion plans will also enable us to recycle over 70 per cent of wastewater onsite, conserving valuable resources and reducing reliance on external water sources.
"In addition, we're exploring technology that would use waste heat from the plants' manufacturing process to generate zero-emissions electricity.
"With this technology, the plant could export clean power to nearby facilities or support the local grid," he said.
First production from the expanded plant is scheduled for FY2026, with full capacity expected to come online in the second half of FY2027. Detailed engineering design is well advanced, and all long lead items for the operating plants have been ordered.
ENDS
About AGR
AGR is the management company of CSBP's sodium cyanide manufacturing joint venture with Coogee Chemicals Pty Ltd. CSBP is part of Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy and Fertilisers (WesCEF), a Western Australian company that's been operating for more than 110 years. As a 75 per cent shareholder, CSBP acts as the operating and sales agent for the company. Since 1988, AGR has been building upon its strong, award-winning reputation for being a reliable manufacturer of sodium cyanide, with an uncompromising focus on safety, the environment, technical support, training, storage and transport management.
Media contact: Emily Griffiths at eagriffiths@wescef.com.au
Attachments:
A fly-through video of the expansion plans is available on request.
SOURCE: Australian Gold Reagents' (AGR)
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
