BANNOCKBURN, IL — A Chinese government agency has postponed implementation of a new regulation that would eliminate cyanide-gold plating effective at the end of 2014. Despite opposition from several trade groups, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China issued the requirement to eliminate auric potassium cyanide gold electroplating and potassium aurocyanide gold plating processes last February.

Trade associations CPCA, IPC and others have been actively lobbying China to suspend the regulation. The groups argued that data on gold plating in electronics, plus the risk and lack of an agreeable alternative, were reason to suspend the ban.

"We are pleased that the Chinese government has recognized the technical requirements of the gold plating application process in electronics,” says John Mitchell, IPC president.  “The global electronics industry depends on gold plating materials to produce reliable and functional aerospace, telecommunication, defense, consumer and transportation products.”

IPC has published a translated version of the notice at www.ipc.org/NDRC-circular-translated.