Yerevan/Mediamax/. Amulsar Gold Mine has been pre-operationally certified in compliance with the International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC/Cyanide Code).

The company has noted that Lydian’s Amulsar Project is the first worldwide to receive pre-operational certification since revisions to the Code published 2016 and the introduction of more stringent auditor guidance protocols.

Lydian’s Amulsar is also the fifth operation to become pre-operationally certified and will be the first in Armenia to be certified in compliance with the ICMC.

A detailed audit findings report, prepared by an independent professional third-party auditor, was submitted to the ICMI in November 2017. The audit evaluated the Amulsar Gold Mine against the ICMI’s Pre-Operational Verification Protocol. On 18 January the ICMI announced in a press release that it had found Lydian in compliance with the Cyanide Code’s Principles and Practices – in accordance with the independent auditor’s findings.

The Amulsar Gold Mine has been conditionally certified and must be audited within one year of its first receipt of cyanide to evaluate its operational compliance with the Cyanide Code. The Amulsar Gold Mine must be re-audited every three years thereafter to evaluate continuing compliance with the code.

The Cyanide Code is a voluntary industry program for companies involved in the production of gold and/or silver using cyanide as well as companies producing and transporting cyanide. The code was developed under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, by a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee.

The ICMI was established to administer the Cyanide Code, promote its adoption, evaluate its implementation, and manage the certification process.

The list of operations that are signatories to the Code along with the full text of the Cyanide Code and its implementing and administrative documents is available on the ICMI website.