Itronics Inc.
Business Plan
June 2026 · Domestic Critical Minerals and Specialty Fertilizer Company
Download the Full Business Plan (PDF)Executive Summary
Itronics Inc. is an award-winning Domestic Critical Minerals and Specialty Fertilizer Company, positioned at the convergence of three of the most compelling macro themes of the decade: domestic critical minerals independence, sustainable agriculture, and zero-waste energy-saving industrial processing.
The Company operates three distinct but vertically integrated business units, each powered by its proprietary Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) technology platform, an independently valued intellectual property portfolio worth over $25 million. Zinc and manganese recovered from battery scrap and nutrient minerals recovered from mine tailings are converted into GOLD’n GRO fertilizer, creating a circular, zero-waste model that is environmentally clean and commercially powerful.
“The policy environment has shifted decisively in our direction. Domestic critical minerals production, fertilizer manufacturing, and zero-waste industrial processing are no longer just commercial opportunities, they are national security priorities. Itronics has spent 25 years building the technology foundation to address these challenges.”
— Dr. John W. Whitney, President, Itronics Inc.Business Unit 1
ZMC Critical Minerals Processing
Itronics recovers four U.S.-designated critical minerals, manganese dioxide, zinc, graphite, and potassium, from alkaline battery scrap known as Zinc Manganese Concentrate (ZMC) using its proprietary DES technology. Recovered minerals are sold into domestic and international steel, battery, mining, and agricultural markets, with a portion converted directly into GOLD’n GRO fertilizers.
All four are designated U.S. Critical Minerals for national security purposes, and the United States imports the vast majority of each. With global demand for high-purity manganese projected to more than triple by 2030 while supply meets only about half, Itronics is positioned to be the only significant domestic manganese dioxide producer. The Company announced its commercial-scale ZMC processing operation on May 21, 2026, with operations expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
ZMC Revenue Ramp
| Year | ZMC Tons Processed | Annual Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 640 | $6.4M | Partial year, operations begin Q3 |
| 2027 | 2,000 | $20.0M | First full year at expanded rate |
| 2028 | 3,000 | $30.0M | Further scale-up |
| 2029 | 4,000 | $40.0M | Approaching full facility capacity |
| Max Capacity | 6,000 | $60M+ | Full facility capacity (future) |
Compelling unit economics. ZMC processing carries an exceptional revenue-to-cost profile, and operations qualify for a 10% tax credit under Section 45X of the Internal Revenue Code for critical mineral processing and production.
Revenue figures are projections derived from independent market research, prevailing commodity pricing, and management’s current operational assumptions, and are subject to revision upon execution of definitive offtake agreements and the commencement of commercial operations.
Business Unit 2
GOLD’n GRO® Multi-Nutrient Liquid Fertilizer
GOLD’n GRO is Itronics’ flagship product line, a proprietary line of chelated multi-nutrient liquid fertilizers sold commercially in California for over 20 years. In May 2026, the USDA, DOE, and EPA jointly declared domestic fertilizer production a national security priority, a material tailwind that validates Itronics’ vertically integrated, American-made production model.
As a clear reacted liquid fertilizer, GOLD’n GRO carries no polymer coating and introduces no microplastics into the soil, a growing point of differentiation against legacy slow-release products. Its chelated micronutrients, chloride-free formulation, and low salt index make it one of the safest fertilizer lines available, and zinc recovered from ZMC feeds GOLD’n GRO production directly, creating a structural cost advantage competitors relying on externally sourced inputs cannot match.
Business Unit 3
Rock Kleen™ Mine Tailings Processing Technology
Rock Kleen is Itronics’ most transformational technology, a proprietary DES system that processes mine tailings into recoverable precious metals, base metals, critical minerals, nutrient minerals, and industrial minerals. Its tagline captures the essence: “Mines Become Quarries.” Rather than leaving tailings ponds as long-term environmental liabilities, Rock Kleen converts them into a stream of salable products, with nothing left behind.
Proven Recovery Performance
| Metal | Conventional Recovery | Rock Kleen Recovery | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold (heap leach tailings) | ~80% | 98% | +18 pts |
| Silver (heap leach tailings) | ~50% | 91–93% | +41–43 pts |
| Gold (historical tailings) | 57% | 75% | +18 pts |
| Gold (mine waste) | N/A | 90% | Previously unrecoverable |
Rock Kleen has been tested and validated across multiple mine types, including complete removal or neutralization of toxic residuals. With an established representative agent in Australasia, it represents the largest long-term growth opportunity in the Itronics portfolio.
Why Itronics
Itronics’ competitive position rests on 25 years of DES technology development, an independently valued IP portfolio exceeding $25 million, and a custom-engineered 35,000-plus square-foot facility on 3.5 acres in Reno, Nevada that is fully permitted and configured to support a 3x scale-up from initial production. The company is led by Dr. John W. Whitney, a world-recognized expert in DES chemistry, supported by a team of PhDs, chemists, and operators, many with the company for more than 20 years.
Itronics has earned international recognition for its technology and sustainability leadership, including:
- 2019 — Small Company Sustainability Leadership Award, EDAWN
- 2008 — Green Company of the Year, Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology
- 2006 — International Green Hero, The Green Organization (London, England)
- 2005 — USA Gold, International Green Apple Environmental Awards (London, England)
Why Now
For 25 years, the Company built and refined the technology to recover critical minerals domestically, produce specialty Multi-Nutrient Liquid Fertilizers, and convert mining liabilities into recoverable assets. The policy landscape has now caught up: domestic critical minerals and fertilizer production have been elevated to national security priorities, and demand for exactly these solutions has never been greater. Itronics enters full-scale commercialization not as a company chasing a trend, but as one that saw it coming decades ago.
About Itronics Inc.
Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics Inc. is a “Zero Waste Energy Saving” technology company that produces GOLD’n GRO multi-nutrient liquid fertilizers, manganese dioxide, and silver, and processes alkaline battery black mass (ZMC) for the recovery of critical minerals. Its award-winning GOLD’n GRO liquid fertilizers are used extensively in agriculture, landscape maintenance, and nurseries.
Read the full June 2026 Business Plan
Download the Business Plan (PDF)This page contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Nothing here is an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. See the Disclaimer for important information.