To Dam, or not to Dam?
Itronics and its mission to remedy an age old mining problem
In the mining industry, tailings are the remaining left over materials after separating precious metals from the mined product. Tailings can damage the environment and are stored and managed in one of 1,700 tailings dams around the world. These tailings consist of small particles, suspended in water, which can damage the environment by releasing toxic metals. Once you have tailings they must be stored somewhere and managed. A recent article by Reuters discussed the fact that 1/3 of the world’s tailings dams are at high risk of causing catastrophic damage to nearby communities. Traditionally, cyanide, which is a toxic chemical, has been used to extract residual precious metals from these tailings. Given this still unaddressed, industry wide problem, one innovative Clean Tech Materials company is looking to change the tailings game, the environment and ultimately the mining industry itself. (https://graphics.reuters.com/MINING-TAILINGS1/0100B4S72K1/index.html)
Rock Kleen - Zero Environmental Footprint, 100% Beneficial Use
Itronics Inc. (OTC: ITRO) is an emerging Clean Tech Materials growth company that utilizes science and engineering to create and commercialize recycling, mineral, and nutrient technologies. Itronics claims that its proprietary ‘Rock Kleen’ technology can take lower grade gold/silver mineral deposits (Tailings) that are sub-ore grade, and turn them into profitable ore deposits. Itronics focus is to convert 100% of a resource into salable products. While conventional cyanide leaching may recover a high percentage of soluble gold, and a portion of the silver, all of the remaining materials are left as a waste product. In order to go the full last mile, Itronics says that ‘Rock Kleen’ not only recovers additional gold/silver and base metals, but the remaining rock can be sized for commercial grades of industrial minerals for sale, leaving zero waste from the mining enterprise, resulting in 100% beneficial use.
Rock Kleen Advantages:
Tailings Dams and the Future
Tailings are a global concern because of environmental impact, safety, and the costs associated with managing them. A 2019 study on tailings dams found that 687 were classified as high risk. The top 5 companies in the world, in terms of Tailings Dams, are as follows:
Top 5 companies in the world, total number of Tailings Dams:
1. Glencore PLC (Other OTC: GLNCY) 215 tailings dams
2. Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO) 136 tailings dams
3. Anglo American (OTC Pink: NGLOY) 123 tailings dams
4. Alcoa (NYSE: AA) 104 tailings dams
5. Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE) 84 tailings dams
Addressing the crisis with Rock Kleen
The problem with tailings is a real one, and only grows worse over time. In this regard, Itronics ‘Rock Kleen’ technology has the potential to revolutionize tailings management by the global mining industry. Rock Kleen can clean up tailings dams, resulting in zero environmental footprint, and zero waste from the mining enterprise. Itronics is eager to take steps toward the safe and responsible stewardship of mine-tailings, which has the potential to result in a cleaner, safer, and more socially responsible mining industry.
Rock Kleen - Zero Environmental Footprint, 100% Beneficial Use
Itronics Inc. (OTC: ITRO) is an emerging Clean Tech Materials growth company that utilizes science and engineering to create and commercialize recycling, mineral, and nutrient technologies. Itronics claims that its proprietary ‘Rock Kleen’ technology can take lower grade gold/silver mineral deposits (Tailings) that are sub-ore grade, and turn them into profitable ore deposits. Itronics focus is to convert 100% of a resource into salable products. While conventional cyanide leaching may recover a high percentage of soluble gold, and a portion of the silver, all of the remaining materials are left as a waste product. In order to go the full last mile, Itronics says that ‘Rock Kleen’ not only recovers additional gold/silver and base metals, but the remaining rock can be sized for commercial grades of industrial minerals for sale, leaving zero waste from the mining enterprise, resulting in 100% beneficial use.
Rock Kleen Advantages:
- Zero environmental footprint; 100% beneficial use
- Redefines ‘ore’ by valuing the whole resource
- Recovers precious and base metals
- Can be used in conjunction with currently established processing procedures
- Cleans the rock of previously used cyanide and nitrogen
- Converts leached rock to industrial minerals products
- Eliminates or reduces the capital cost of tailings storage
- Can make permitting easier and quicker
- Eliminates bonding requirements of heap or tailings impoundments
- Energy Saving Technology
Tailings Dams and the Future
Tailings are a global concern because of environmental impact, safety, and the costs associated with managing them. A 2019 study on tailings dams found that 687 were classified as high risk. The top 5 companies in the world, in terms of Tailings Dams, are as follows:
Top 5 companies in the world, total number of Tailings Dams:
1. Glencore PLC (Other OTC: GLNCY) 215 tailings dams
2. Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO) 136 tailings dams
3. Anglo American (OTC Pink: NGLOY) 123 tailings dams
4. Alcoa (NYSE: AA) 104 tailings dams
5. Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE) 84 tailings dams
Addressing the crisis with Rock Kleen
The problem with tailings is a real one, and only grows worse over time. In this regard, Itronics ‘Rock Kleen’ technology has the potential to revolutionize tailings management by the global mining industry. Rock Kleen can clean up tailings dams, resulting in zero environmental footprint, and zero waste from the mining enterprise. Itronics is eager to take steps toward the safe and responsible stewardship of mine-tailings, which has the potential to result in a cleaner, safer, and more socially responsible mining industry.