Although no two Sodium Cyanide loading solutions will be identical, the product itself determines much of the critical design criteria that will ensure that optimum safety and productivity can work together in harmony. 

What is Sodium Cyanide? Sodium cyanide, also known as Hydrocyanic acid, sodium salt or cyanide of sodium is a poisonous compound with the formula NaCN.  It’s a white, water soluble solid or powder with a bitter almond-like odor. NaCN is produced by treating hydrogen cyanide with sodium hydroxide. Sodium cyanide is used commercially for fumigation, electroplating, extracting gold and silver from ores, and chemical manufacturing. 

In the United States, Aqueous Sodium Cyanide is a “tight-fill” (closed-loop) loading operation and is loaded or unloaded into rail cars via chemical hoses or PTFE lined loading arms. Sodium cyanide, if not handled properly can be fatal and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required. Additionally, because operators are on top of the vehicles during the loading process, robust, well-designed fall prevention is essential to ensure increased throughput, without compromising operator safety.

Sodium Cyanide is typically shipped in 26,000 gallon DOT-111 insulated or non-insulated tank cars with safety valves.  The rails cars themselves are ~ 9′ outside diameter with an overall length of ~45’ to 55′, with a 6’ x 6’ center opening or off-set crash box openings.