Gold-mining major Gold Fields recently became the first mining group registered as a signatory with the International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI) to obtain accreditation for all its eligible operations from the International Cyanide Management Code.

This follows full accreditation being achieved at its Kloof and Driefontein mines, in South Africa.

Gold Fields' CEO Nick Holland, comments: "The Kloof and Driefontein achievements follow equally impressive accomplishments at Beatrix mine, which achieved its full accreditation in February this year, the Tarkwa and Damang mines, in Ghana, which achieved full accreditation in June and May 2008, respectively, and the new South Deep, which achieved full accreditation in December 2008.

"Cerro Corona mine, in Peru does not require accreditation as it does not use large amounts of cyanide in its processes. The Agnew mine, in Australia, achieved substantial accreditation in June this year and is expected to achieve full accreditation in December this year.

"This means that all the eligible Gold Fields mines are now accredited and seven of the eight have achieved full compliance. We have now achieved the objective we set ourselves in November
2005, when we became a signatory to the ICMI Cyanide Code, for all Gold Fields operations to be ICMI accredited".

ICMI president Paul Bateman congratulated Gold Fields on being the first mining group to obtain accreditation for all its signatory operations.

Holland says that Gold Fields' support of the ICMI is consistent with the principles and objectives of the group's sustainable development framework, which tackles every aspect of sustainability in the organisation, including the use of cyanide in the production of gold.

The Cyanide Code is recognised as best practice for cyanide management in the gold mining industry by the World Gold Council and the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practice.

The ICMI accreditation process adheres to the principles of the International Council on Mining & Metals' Sustainable Development Framework, and it has also been acknowledged by the International Finance Corporation and the G8 Group of Nations as the best practice guide for responsible cyanide management.