FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Paul Knopick 888-795-6336 ******************************************************************
ITRONICS
CONTINUES TO ADVANCE NEW PRODUCT AND PROCESS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS TO IMPROVE
ITS FINANCIAL SITUATION AND TO INCREASE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS
RENO, Nevada,
November 6, 2007 -- Itronics Inc. (OTC BB: 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-nutrint 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.)