text: The cyanide remaining in tails streams from gold plants is potentially hazardous. Therefore, some operations process the cyanide-containing waste streams in a detoxification step. This step lowers the concentrations of these cyanide compounds. The INCO-licensed process and the Caro's acid process oxidise the cyanide to cyanate, which is not as toxic as the cyanide ion, and which can then react to form carbonates and ammonia:
  : + [O] → 
  The Inco process can typically lower cyanide concentrations to below 50 mg/L, whereas the Caros acid process can lower cyanide levels to between 10 and 50 mg/L, with the lower concentrations achievable in solution streams rather than slurries. Caros acid – peroxomonosulfuric acid (HSO) - converts cyanide to cyanate. Cyanate then hydrolyses to ammonium and carbonate ions. The Caros acid process is able to achieve discharge levels of Weak Acid Dissociable" (WAD) cyanide below 50 mg/L, which is generally suitable for discharge to tailings. Hydrogen peroxide and basic chlorination can also be used to oxidize cyanide, although these approaches are less common. Typically, this process blows compressed air through the tailings while adding sodium metabisulfite, which releases SO. Lime is added to maintain the pH at around 8.5, and copper sulfate is added as a catalyst if there is insufficient copper in the ore extract. This procedure can reduce concentrations of WAD cyanide to below the 10 ppm mandated by the EUs Mining Waste Directive. This level compares to the 66-81 ppm free cyanide and 500-1000 ppm total cyanide in the pond at Baia Mare. Remaining free cyanide degrades in the pond, while cyanate ions hydrolyse to ammonium. Studies show that residual cyanide trapped in the gold-mine tailings causes persistent release of toxic metals (e.g. mercury ) into the groundwater and surface water systems.