German Company Considers Producing Sodium Cyanide in Egypt for Gold Mining

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla meets with the German delegation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla meets with the German delegation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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German Company Considers Producing Sodium Cyanide in Egypt for Gold Mining

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla meets with the German delegation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla meets with the German delegation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum announced that Germany's CyPlus is interested in establishing a new production plant for Sodium Cyanide in Egypt that is used as part of the gold mining and extraction process.

CyPlus is a leading company with advanced technology services and innovative solutions. It ensures safe use of cyanide production, transportation, and disposal.

The company utilizes new innovative technologies to develop gold extraction and mining procedures.

The working group will decide on the necessary procedures and find a suitable location in the Eastern Desert for the new production plant and will also work on researching the required technologies and local market needs.

Sodium cyanide is a colorless sodium salt. It is prepared from sodium amide by heating it with carbon at 800 degrees. It is used in the treatment and extraction of gold.

A press statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, said the German company has a "desire to establish a plant for the production of sodium cyanide."

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla met with Chairman of CyPlus Stefan Welbers on Wednesday to discuss the investment opportunities available to the company in Egypt.

During the meeting, Molla stressed the need to localize industries for products complementary to the mining activity, citing the remarkable development in gold mining, the successful gold bid, and the entry of several international companies into the promising field.

He indicated that the authorities are studying the feasibility of establishing such factories. He added that the ministry is working on a strategic plan to enhance mining activity and establish more factories to boost it, especially those importing products in foreign currency.

The minister highlighted the importance of developing the industry sustainably and implementing green mining requirements. He stressed the need for increasing mining capabilities while working towards reducing environmentally harmful emissions.

For his part, Welbers confirmed that the company provides safe and responsible uses of cyanide, starting from production, through transportation and circulation processes, to application and exchange.

He indicated that CyPlus dedicates its capabilities to providing new solutions that boost productivity and innovatively develop the gold mining process.

He praised the remarkable developments in the mining field in Egypt, saying it holds promising opportunities for investment.



Gold Drops Nearly 2% on Profit-booking, Trump's Treasury Secretary Pick

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
TT

Gold Drops Nearly 2% on Profit-booking, Trump's Treasury Secretary Pick

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold dropped nearly 2% on Monday, weighed down by profit-taking after a five-session rally, with further pressure from the announcement of fund manager Scott Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary.
Spot gold was down 1.8% at $2,664.53 per ounce, as of 0619 GMT, after declining more than 2% earlier in the session. Bullion had hit its highest since Nov. 6 earlier in the day.
US gold futures shed 1.7% to $2,666.40.
Gold's five-session rally has paused due to some profit-taking and Donald Trump's pick of Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary, hinting at tempered use of tariffs and easing US-China trade uncertainty, said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.
President-elect Trump has floated the idea of a 60% tariff on Chinese goods and at least a 10% levy on all other imports.
Gold is considered a safe investment during times of economic and political uncertainty.
Investors are also awaiting minutes of the Federal Reserve's November meeting, GDP data (first revision), and core PCE figures, all due this week.
Traders currently see a 56% chance of another 25-basis-point rate cut in December, compared to 62% last week, according to the CME Fedwatch tool.
Recent less dovish signals from US policymakers suggest any unexpected rise in inflation could strengthen expectations of a rate hold in December, Rong said.
Higher interest rates tend to make gold less appealing, as they yield no interest.
Some Fed policymakers last week expressed concerns that inflation progress may have stalled, advocating for caution, while others emphasized the need for continued rate cuts.
On the geopolitical front, Hezbollah fired heavy rockets at Israel on Sunday, following an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 29 in Beirut. There were reports of damage near Tel Aviv.
Spot silver fell 2.2% to $30.63 per ounce, platinum was down 1.2% to $952.00 and palladium slipped 1% to $998.88.