| Press
Release Archives: 08/25/2010
Itronics
Starts Up Stage I Silver Refinery Expansion to Increase Refining
Capacity by 10 Times; Technology Milestone Achieved
Itronics Green Recycling Technology Is Expanding
Growth Opportunities
RENO,
NV, Aug 25, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Itronics Inc. (PINKSHEETS:
ITRO) reported today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Itronics
Metallurgical, Inc., has begun start up of its Stage I silver refinery
expansion which should increase silver refining capacity by 10 times,
with sales capacity increasing from $440,000 to $4.4 million at
current silver prices.
"The
start up of the Stage I leaching circuit is underway," said
Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. "Getting this revolutionary
new technology operation launched represents a major milestone for
the Company."
The Stage I expansion will increase silver
refining capacity to 240,000 ounces per year by increasing the per
melt capacity of the refining operation by 10 times with no increase
in per melt cost. This produces a 90 percent decrease of the per
melt cost of each ounce of silver produced. At current silver prices
of $18.50 per ounce, annual silver bullion sales capacity would
increase from $440,000 to more than $4 million.
Silver output is expected to increase as GOLD'n
GRO liquid fertilizer sales increase, and from utilization of new
silver-bearing raw material feed sources made possible by the revolutionary
new FeLix and SuLix leaching technology developed by Itronics.
The Company will now focus on integrating
the new unit operation fully into its overall operations and on
expanding silver output.
Itronics Metallurgical has identified two
other potential applications where the FeLix and SuLix processes
could reduce processing costs and reduce waste by profitably converting
material presently being wasted into commercial products. These
important silver-bearing materials are:
1. Steel wool (ion exchange) cartridges which
are widely used in the United
States to perform on site silver removal from photographic liquids
at
user sites where off site hauling is not required. Both iron and
silver
would be recovered. This is a large source of iron and photo silver
with
millions of ounces of silver being recovered annually in these
cartridges in the United States. The Company has business linkages
in
place that will make it possible to source these materials in desired
quantities when it is appropriate for the Company to do so.
2. Processing the cores of non-mercury bearing
silver batteries to recover
potassium, zinc, and Silver. Zinc silver batteries are primarily
used in
military and space applications, but some new technology zinc silver
batteries are being developed for use in portable computers. If
these
new technologies get adopted, then there will be a large increase
in
zinc silver battery usage world-wide and an associated need for
zinc
silver battery recycling services.
About
Itronics Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics is a Cleantech
Specialty Fertilizer and Silver Company that produces the Award
Winning GOLD'n GRO liquid fertilizers and pure silver bullion. Itronics,
through its subsidiary, Itronics Metallurgical, Inc., is the only
company with a fully permitted "Beneficial Use photochemical,
Silver, and Water Recycling" plant in the United States that
converts spent photoliquids into pure silver and GOLD'n GRO liquid
fertilizers. The Company is developing environmentally compatible
mining technology, provides project planning and technical services
to the gold mining industry, and operates the popular InsideMetals.com
web site, http://www.insidemetals.com, which provides a value-added
WORLD VIEW of Gold Producer Stocks, Mineral Producer Stocks, Junior
Gold Stocks, and Junior Mineral Stocks.
Itronics
has received numerous domestic and international awards that recognize
its ability to successfully create and implement new environmentally
clean recycling and fertilizer technologies.
The Company's environmentally friendly GOLD'n
GRO liquid fertilizers, which are extensively used in agriculture,
can be used for lawns and houseplants, and are available, along
with liquid fertilizer injectors, at the Company's "e-store"
catalog at http://goldngro.com. The popular Silver Nevada Miner
bars are available at the Company's "e-store" catalog
at http://www.itromet.com.
VISIT OUR WEB SITE: http://www.itronics.com
("Safe Harbor" Statement under the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release
contains or may contain forward-looking statements such as statements
regarding the Company's growth and profitability, growth strategy,
liquidity and access to public markets, operating expense reduction,
and trends in the industry in which the Company operates. The forward-looking
statements contained in this press release are also subject to other
risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking
statements to reflect actual results, changes in risks, uncertainties
or assumptions underlying or affecting such statements, or for prospective
events that may have a retroactive effect.)
Contact:
Paul Knopick
888-795-6336
Chemicals:Specialty Chemicals
Environment:Natural Resource Management
Retail:Consumer Interest
Financial Services:Venture Capital
Manufacturing and Production:Mining and Metals
Environment:Waste Management |
