A company that had planned to build a liquid sodium-cyanide terminal at a railroad yard near the town of Blanca in the San Luis Valley, has temporarily withdrawn its rezoning application after public protests.
Cyanco had planned to ship the chemical by rail to a site where it could be transferred to tankers and trucked to mines in Cripple Creek and Victor. Liquid sodium-cyanide is used to separate gold and silver from ore.
According to the Alamosa Valley Courier, residents expressed concerns about factors the company could not control such as weather and rail conditions that could interfere with supply lines.
The company issued a statement saying the procedures are safe but it will look for other potential sites before pursuing the Blanca locations any further.
