What is a "leach heap" in an open-pit gold mine? Is it cyanide waste? - "Gold cyanidation (also known as the cyanide process or the MacArthur–Forrest process)

What is a "leach heap" in an open-pit gold mine? Is it cyanide waste? - "Gold cyanidation (also known as the cyanide process or the MacArthur–Forrest process) is a hydrometallurgical technique for extracting gold from low-grade ore by converting the gold to a water-soluble coordination complex. It is the most commonly used leaching process for gold extraction.[1] [...] Production of reagents for mineral processing to recover gold represents more than 70% of cyanide consumption globally." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_cyanidation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_cyanidation [late edit]: The Hurriyet news article linked in the OP confirms this, - "Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that even if the miners are reached, the entire soil mass will still be removed from the area, addressing concerns about possible environmental damage due to the cyanide-tainted waste soil used in the gold extraction process." https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/35-mln-cubic-meters-of-soil-to-be-removed-from-erzincan-mine-landslide-190840 https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/35-mln-cubic-meters-of-soi... [edit 2]: A Turkish-language source cited in Wikipedia suggests there's a risk of this waste contaminating the Euphrates river. This mine does appear to be located right next to that river, and uphill of it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Çöpler_mine_disaster#Aftermath https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Çöpler_mine_disaster#Aftermath https://www.google.com/maps/place/39%C2%B025'33.6%22N+38%C2%B031'19.2%22E/@39.4324826,38.5117931,14z/data=!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d39.426!4d38.522!5m1!1e4?hl=en&entry=ttu https://www.google.com/maps/place/39%C2%B025'33.6%22N+38%C2%... [edit 3]: Here's a long-form Turkish journalism (published in English) discussing this question: https://www.duvarenglish.com/experts-warn-of-severe-cyanide-exposure-to-euphrates-as-mine-located-in-water-basin-news-63852 https://www.duvarenglish.com/experts-warn-of-severe-cyanide-... ("Experts warn of severe cyanide exposure to Euphrates as mine located in water basin")