Native silver metal forms a water soluble complex with a dilute...

A water soluble complex of silver with a dilute aqueous solution of $\mathrm{NaCN}$ is sodium argentocyanide. In the cyanide process, the native form is crushed and treated with $0.1-0.2 \%$ solution of $\mathrm{NaCN}$ and aerated. 4 $\mathrm{Ag}+$8 $\mathrm{NaCN}+$2 \mathrm{H}}_{2} \mathrm{O}+\mathrm{O}}_{2} \longrightarrow 4 \mathrm{Na}\left[\mathrm{Ag}(\mathrm{CN})_2\right]+4 $\mathrm{NaOH}$Argentocyanide is soluble. Further, metals are recovered from the complex by reduction with zinc