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Press
Release Archives: 11/06/2007
Itronics
Continues to Advance New Product and Process Technology
Developments to Improve Its Financial Situation and to
Increase Its Environmental Achievements
RENO, Nev., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Itronics
Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ITRO; Frankfurt and Berlin
Stock Exchanges: ITG) reported today that its
subsidiary, Itronics Metallurgical, Inc., is continuing
to make progress on a number of product and process
developments, including new air cleaning technology,
that will improve the Company's bottom line and
reputation as an environmentally progressive company.
This update demonstrates the Company's continuing
ability to convert new environmentally sound and
operationally integrated product and process concepts
into commercial reality.
* Revisions to the photochemical blending procedures
that will increase
throughput capacity for GOLD'n GRO manufacturing by 250
percent were
completed and are being implemented.
* Work continued on equipment design and specification
for the expansion
of the solids handling capacity in the silver refinery,
with completion
expected in the fourth quarter in order to significantly
increase
production capacity.
* During the third quarter development work on the new
silver-iron-zinc-sulfur concentrate leaching process
continued. The
leaching process has two steps; (1) removal of iron and
other nutrient
metals (ItroMet FeLix Process), and (2) removal of
sulfur (ItroMet SuLix
Process). Development of operating parameters for the
ItroMet FeLix
Process is nearly complete, and development of operating
parameters for
the ItroMet SuLix Process is underway. Plans to perform
small-scale
pilot leach tests are being implemented with completion
of leaching
tests expected in the fourth quarter. The two leaching
processes reduce
silver refining cost and increase silver refining
capacity by reducing
the weight of solids fed to the silver refinery by 50
percent. At the
same time the processes produce two base liquids for use
in
manufacturing GOLD'n GRO chelated liquid fertilizers.
These are: (1) an
iron-zinc base liquid, and (2) a sulfur base liquid. Use
of these base
liquids in GOLD'n GRO fertilizer manufacturing is
expected to replace
some of the non-photographic raw materials needed to
produce the
fertilizers, thereby stabilizing and reducing
manufacturing costs.
* The Company has begun development of a third related
process (ItroMet
K-Thio Process) that will convert the recovered
sulfur-bearing liquids
to potassium thiosulfate, a raw material used in
manufacturing the
GOLD'n GRO fertilizers. Completion of this third process
will result in
an integrated silver-iron-zinc-sulfur solids handling
system that
produces zero waste and makes it possible to maximize
use of the
contained nutrient metals and minerals, while leaving
the silver and
other non-nutrient metals and minerals in the remaining
solids being
sent to the silver refinery for recovery of silver and
production of a
glass slag that can be used to make glass tile.
* The Company has developed and installed a pilot-scale
equipment system,
called an "air scrubber," that cleans the air from the
silver refining
operation. The air scrubber uses a chemical solution
sprayed into a
packed column. The system provides nearly complete
removal of
impurities and odors in the air and produces a base
liquid for use in
manufacturing GOLD'n GRO fertilizers. The air scrubber
has been
operational since April 2007 and is working well. The
Company is
planning to install two more air scrubbers that will be
needed as GOLD'n
GRO fertilizer manufacturing continues to expand.
Air scrubbers are widely used in the chemical process
industry, but they typically produce liquids that have
to be disposed as either hazardous or non-hazardous
wastes. The Company believes that the ability to produce
a liquid product for use in fertilizer is not only
environmentally beneficial but creates substantial
economic savings compared to existing technologies and
provides fertilizer raw material cost savings that will
further stabilize and reduce the cost of manufacturing
the GOLD'n GRO fertilizers.
The Company believes that in the future it may be able
to convert these environmentally compatible technologies
to process silver concentrates from multi-metal silver
mines that are being developed in many Latin American
countries and in other parts of the world. The Company
plans to monitor these possibilities as it continues to
develop this technology for its own use on a commercial
scale.
"On-going advancement of integrated environmentally
beneficial process and product technology demonstrates
that Itronics' eight part long term growth plan,
announced in June 2005, continues to be successfully
implemented," said Dr. John Whitney, President. Itronics
expects to report more fully on these developments for
the third quarter on November 14 when it files its Third
Quarter Form 10-QSB.
About Itronics
Itronics, through its subsidiary, Itronics
Metallurgical, Inc., is the only company in the world
with a fully permitted "Beneficial Use Photochemical,
Silver, and Water Recycling" plant located in the United
States which can convert used photoliquids into pure
silver and liquid fertilizers. At the Company's Reno,
Nevada factory more than 99 percent of the silver and
virtually all the other toxic heavy metals are extracted
from used photoliquids. The purified liquids are
converted into environmentally beneficial, chelated,
micronutrient and multinutrient liquid fertilizers sold
under the GOLD'n GRO trademark. The silver is refined
and sold as bullion and 5 troy ounce, 0.999 pure, Silver
Nevada Miner numismatic bars. The environmentally
friendly liquid fertilizers can be used for lawns and
houseplants, and are available, along with GOLD'n GRO
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 .
Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics Inc. is a
"Creative Environmental Technology" company and a world
leader in photochemical recycling. The Company also
provides environmentally compatible mining technology
development, 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 compatible recycling and fertilizer
technologies.
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.)
Source: Itronics Inc. |
