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ITRONICS REPORTS THE STAGE I SILVER REFINERY EXPANSION IS INCREASING SILVER PRODUCTION CAPACITY BY 50 PERCENT; REDUCING COST BY 40 PERCENT
RENO, Nevada, October 6, 2011 -- Itronics Inc. (OTC: ITRO) reported today that its subsidiary Itronics Metallurgical, Inc. Stage 1 silver refinery expansion, the Itromet FeLix leaching process, is reducing the solids weight by 55 percent and the solids volume is being reduced by 70 percent. This is producing a 50 percent increase in refining capacity and a 40 percent reduction in refining cost when the silver bearing solids are refined. Process optimization work is continuing and further significant improvements are expected.
The Stage 1 expansion includes the development of three new silver bearing solids leaching processes: (1) the Itromet FeLix process to recover iron, zinc, and manganese from feed solids for use as ingredients in the GOLD?n GRO fertilizers; (2) the Itromet SuLix process to recover sulfur, and (3) the K-Thio process to convert the recovered sulfur for use as an ingredient in the GOLD?n GRO fertilizers. The silver and any other non-nutrient metals remain in the residual solids that are delivered to the refinery. The Itromet FeLix process to recover iron is being implemented first.
?The process chemistry is very complex, which has slowed development,? said Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. ?We have integrated the new process into the plant operations with part of the silver bearing solids going directly to the refinery and part of the solids going to the new process. Silver bearing residual solids from the process then go to the refinery. The recovered iron will be used as a raw material for GOLD?n GRO fertilizer manufacturing.?
Integration of the new iron-bearing leach liquors into the fertilizer manufacturing processes has begun. Initially, the new iron raw material will be used in the GOLD?n GRO 10-0-0 +4% Fe chelated micronutrient fertilizer. The amount of the new raw material being produced is small relative to the manufacturing requirements for annual GOLD?n GRO 10-0-0+4%Fe sales and so the raw material cost reduction is small, but will increase as Itromet FeLix processing capacity is expanded. Expected benefits from use of the recovered iron are raw material cost stabilization and improvement in fertilizer quality.
Work started in August 2010 on implementing the Itromet FeLix process to recover iron from internally produced silver bearing solids that are currently sent to the refinery for silver recovery. The first silver recovered from solids processed by the Itromet Felix process was shipped in early January 2011. Operation development is continuing, and since January a portion of the silver bearing solids delivered to the refinery have been processed through the Itromet FeLix process. Actual silver output is directly related to production of base liquids for fertilizer manufacturing and is currently less than refining capacity.
This increase in per melt capacity is more than sufficient to accommodate intermediate term growth. Successful development of the Itromet FeLix process provides the capacity for acquisition of new silver bearing materials to further expand growth. Itronics Metallurgical has identified other potential applications for this technology to create new large scale growth opportunities.
?The technology milestone being achieved in the Itromet FeLix leaching circuit start up is very exciting and beneficial to the Company and its shareholders,? said Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. ?We have successfully eliminated the silver refining capacity bottle neck and are already seeing the operational and financial benefits of this revolutionary new technology for the Company.?
This new technology development represents another step in Itronics implementation of its business plan to use internally developed environmentally green clean technology to produce solid profitable growth. Itronics, through its subsidiary Itronics Metallurgical, is the inventor and operator of award winning recycling technology that converts spent photographic liquids into pure silver and award winning GOLD?n GRO fertilizers. Commercialization of this technology has created a ?Green Consumer Option? for photo and X-ray processors and ?Green fertilizers? for horticulture and agriculture. The fertilizers incorporate the ?essence? of green because of how they are sourced and because of their excellent performance in the field.
About Itronics
Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics Inc. is a "Creative Clean Technology" company. 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 used 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.
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. The Company's business is subject to significant 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 any 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.)
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