Itronics Testing Breakthrough Technology Rock Kleen System for Reprocessing Silver/Gold Mine Tailings, to Replace the Validated KAM Thio System Technology
GlobeNewswire•September 4, 2019
Itronics enters into agreement to test Rock Kleen on second silver mines tailings
RENO, Nev., Sept. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itronics Inc. (ITRO), an Innovative Greentech Fertilizer, Silver, and Mineral Producer, reported today that it is developing breakthrough technology Rock Kleen to replace its previously validated KAM-Thio fluid for neutralization of residual cyanide, and recovery of residual silver, gold, and metal oxides from silver/gold heap leach mine tailings.
The new Rock Kleen chemistry is manufactured from virgin ingredients and is based on more than 30 years of experience with similar fluids manufactured from spent photographic liquids. The Company has been working on chemical replacement of spent photographic chemistry used in its GOLD’n GRO fertilizers and for the KAM-Thio rock cleaning fluid for several years in anticipation that spent photoliquid supply might decline and be insufficient to support GOLD’n GRO fertilizer sales growth.
Itronics is “bench marking” the Rock Kleen system using samples supplied by Comstock Mining and it has entered into an agreement with a second silver company with 12 times the tailing tonnage to test Rock Kleen on previously leached silver ore with a high residual silver content and complex silver mineralogy. Testing Rock Kleen is presently underway on heap leach tailings materials from the second mine, and from Comstock Mining. These tests are further validating this breakthrough technology for application in the mining industry to achieve zero waste.
“We have known for the last few years that the supply of silver-bearing photoliquids could diminish to levels that might not support large scale growth of the GOLD’n GRO fertilizer sales,” said Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. “We decided that developing Rock Kleen for the silver/gold mine tailings reprocessing application would provide an excellent opportunity to test the new technology. We believe that the new chemistry will work very well in the GOLD’n GRO fertilizers as well. Sales of GOLD’n GRO Fertilizers are up over 62% for the first 6 months of 2019 compared to the prior year.
“The transition to virgin chemistry has relieved our existing customers concerns about future supply availability and opens up opportunities to develop new markets without being limited by concerns about raw material availability. This is good news for everyone who uses or plans to use our fertilizer and chemical products and technology. This also substantiates the good news for our shareholders, lenders and other stakeholders, of our continuing successful progress moving forward” Dr. Whitney said.
Itronics expects to transition to virgin chemicals for all of its liquid products over the next three years. Itronics still plans to use spent photoliquids for some of its needs as long as it is economical to do so, and continues to recycle it to zero waste.
