Centrifuge Will Facilitate “Zero Waste” Technologies Scale Up
RENO, Nev., Nov. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itronics Inc. (OTC:ITRO), a diversified producer of GOLD’n GRO
zinc fertilizers and silver products, and a green “Zero Waste” technology development Company, today reported that it has
successfully completed start up testing of its centrifuge that will be used in its hydrometallurgical operations to perform liquid
solids separations.
Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President, said: “This technology is a revolutionary breakthrough in the development
of the Company’s hydromet processes, and is expected to significantly lower operating costs, which is very important. The
centrifuge technology will be used for the FeLix (iron), SuLix (sulfur), and ZinLix (zinc) leaching processes, and will be tested
for use in KAM-Thio silver/gold mine applications.”
The hydromet (leaching) processes produce the high silver content concentrate used in Itronics breakthrough
“Zero Waste” E-scrap refining which uses the silver to extract gold, silver, palladium, tin, and copper, from E-Scrap (computer
waste).
The hydromet leaching operations have been a production bottleneck due to the length of time required to
separate the leaching liquid from the residual silver-bearing solids using standard filtration methods. It has been taking
about five months to do the liquid/solid separations for both process steps to produce enough high silver content solids to support
a refining campaign to produce a bullion shipment.
Based on start-up operational testing which has now been completed, the centrifuge is expected to shorten the
elapsed production time to less than a month and to completely eliminate the bottleneck. The Company now believes that
further significant operational improvements in its processing operations may be achievable by adding two more centrifuges.
Testing and planning for these is now being initiated.
With the hydromet leaching circuit production bottleneck eliminated, the Company’s e-scrap refining operations
focus will shift to expanding output, first by converting the operation from intermittent to continuous, and then by adding
additional refining furnaces. Planning has already begun for adding up to eight additional refining furnaces.
The hydromet technology is expected to lower the operating costs of the KAM-Thio silver/gold mine recovery
technology, and make it possible to process zinc bearing flue dusts and other zinc bearing powders to recover all of the zinc and
to convert the non-zinc residuals into saleable products. Doing this is expected to lead to the development of at least two
more “Zero Waste” technologies.
In addition, successful development of the centrifuge applications is expected to provide operations and
engineering information that will be used to plan for expanded Hydromet Leaching operations at the Company’s new 60,000 square foot
48-acre Wabuska, Nevada facility which has rail service.
About Itronics
Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics Inc. is a “Creative Green Technology” Company which produces GOLD’n GRO specialty liquid
fertilizers, silver bullion, and silver-bearing glass. The Company’s goal is to achieve profitable green technology driven organic
growth in specialty GOLD’n GRO fertilizers, silver, zinc, and minerals. The Company’s technologies maximize the recovery and
uses of metals and minerals and by doing this maximize sustainability.
Through its subsidiary, Itronics Metallurgical, Inc., Itronics is the only company with a fully permitted
“Beneficial Use Photochemical, Silver, and Water Recycling” plant in the United States that converts 100 percent of the spent
photoliquids into GOLD’n GRO liquid fertilizers, silver bullion, and silver bearing glass. This is internationally recognized award
winning “Zero Waste” Technology. The Company is developing a portfolio of environmentally beneficial “Zero waste” processing
and mining technologies. Itronics has received numerous domestic and international awards that recognize its ability to
successfully use chemical science and engineering to create and implement new environmentally green recycling and fertilizer
technologies.
The Company's environmentally friendly award winning GOLD'n GRO liquid fertilizers, which are extensively used in agriculture, can be used for lawns
and houseplants, and are available at the Company's "e-store" on Amazon.Com. Due to expanded retail customer interest, GOLD'n GRO fertilizer may now
be purchased in Reno, Nevada at the "Buy Nevada First Gift Shop" at 4001 S. Virginia St.
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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
