what: Potassium Cyanide. Molecular formula: KCN
why: used for: Photography, gold/silver extraction, metal products.
who: produced by various chemical-producing companies around the world.
where: Usually manufactured in Japan, China, Britain or the US.
How: usually produced by mixing hydrogen cyanide with potassium hydroxide and causing a reaction. In earlier times, it was made by decomposing hydrogen ferrocyanide.
when: before 1900s.