Study of cyanide removal with the use of a variety of biomass: A review

Abstract

The mining-metallurgical activity is the cause of the generation of pollutant waste from surface waters and soils. Mineral extraction processes use cyanidation in the recovery of precious metals, where cyanide, a highly toxic substance, is used. Cyanide effluents are conventionally treated with hydrogen peroxide or caro’s acid, reagents that represent high costs in the process of detoxification of cyanide solutions. Alternative materials have been sought for these treatments, which are presented in this review. Biomass and its derivatives allow us to have an idea of the possible alternatives offered at the time of decontamination of cyanide residues and considering that the costs associated with the treatment would be reduced to levels that could be applied at the industrial level.