Mexican researchers began operating a prototype electrochemical reactor that separates gold and silver from other minerals, without producing toxic residues. The reactor, which utilizes thiourea, a non-polluting compound, has been running since July at the Autonomous Metropolitan University of Mexico, in the capital, thanks to an agreement with the private mining firm Servicios Industriales Peñoles.

The invention means toxins like cyanide, long used to precipitate precious metals from ore are no longer needed. “It is a unique alternative and promises a great deal for the future of the mining industry,” José Luis Nava, one of its creators, told Tierramérica.

The method will be a boost to profitability of the companies and benefit the communities where the mines are located, as they will no longer have to face mining pollution. It is “completely sustainable,” says the researcher.