Sodium cyanide - Цианид натрия is an inorganic compound with the formula NaCN. It is a white, water-soluble solid. Cyanide has a high affinity for metals, which leads to the high toxicity of this salt. Its main application, in gold mining, also exploits its high reactivity toward metals. It is a strong base.
A process for producing anhydrous sodium cyanide crystals by absorbing hydrogen cyanide synthesis gas that contains oxides of carbon and water in aqueous sodium hydroxide and crystallizing the sodium cyanide solution that results from the absorption. The sodium carbonate that forms in the absorption is not removed prior to crystallization.