Gold mining by means of cyanide leaching is no longer allowed in Slovakia, according to an amendment that has become effective on Saturday. The amendment pushed for by Smer-SD MPs came in response to plans to mine for gold by means of cyanide leaching in the localities of Kremnica and Detva (both Banská Bystrica region).
The authors of the legislative amendment argued that by pushing for the provision they wanted to respond to various initiatives on behalf of environmental organizations and the wider public against gold mining by means of this method. In addition, the legislators originally proposed that people of the affected area should be given an opportunity to have their say in a referendum. The passed amendment doesn't include such an option, however, and bans this method of gold mining altogether.
