Itronics Advances Rock Kleen Tailings Processing Technology Presents Advantages and Growth Opportunities

RENO, Nevada, April 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Itronics Inc. (OTC: ITRO), an emerging "Clean Tech Materials" growth Company that produces GOLD'n GRO Multi-Nutrient Fertilizers and Silver, is providing an update on its proprietary Rock Kleen Tailings Processing Technology.  Test work at the Itronics Metallurgical laboratory on two separate precious metals closed heap leach materials pads has provided positive results in recovering precious metals, base metals and industrial minerals.  Rock Kleen neutralizes the residual cyanide and removes nitrogen produced by blasting the rocks in the mining process, making the materials available for use as industrial minerals.

Rock Kleen Advantages:

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

Redefines "ore" by valuing the whole resource

Rock Kleen technology has the potential to make lower grade gold/silver mineral deposits that are sub-ore grade into profitable ore deposits. Itronics Zero Waste Energy Saving Technology's focus is to convert all of a resource into salable products.  Conventional cyanide leaching may recover a high percentage of soluble gold and a portion of the silver, but all the remaining materials are left as a waste product.  Rock Kleen recovers additional gold/silver and base metals, and then the remaining rock can be sized for commercial grades of industrial minerals for sale leaving zero waste from the mining enterprise. 

Recovers precious and base metals

Rock Kleen chemistry allows for recovery of not only the gold and silver but also recovers available base metals  By producing revenues from 100 percent of a resource, versus revenues from only the precious metals, Rock Kleen redefines the term "ore" and may greatly expand mineral reserves at current and new mines where the technology is applied.

Itronics' wholly owned subsidiary, Whitney & Whitney, Inc., represents the Company to interested parties for the marketing of its proprietary Rock Kleen Technology.  Initial testing has been completed on two silver rich closed leach pads.  Laboratory testing also indicates that the Rock Kleen Technology will be effective on copper heap leaches.  Whitney & Whitney has designed flow sheets for two different heap leach waste materials processing operations which recover gold, silver and various base metals based upon the processing test work completed by Itronics Metallurgical, Inc.  Mineralogical analysis has defined potential industrial mineral products for the two separate resources allowing for 100 percent of the available resources being converted to salable products.

Can be used in conjunction with currently established processing procedures

"Rock Kleen Technology is a revolutionary mineral extraction advancement developed from Itronics Zero Waste Energy Saving Technology," said John Key, Vice-President, Projects for Whitney & Whitney, Inc. "Pilot scale testing is very promising.  Each deposit must be evaluated on a stand-alone basis but many existing operations and heap leach projects being designed now could potentially benefit greatly by including a design using Rock Kleen or including the Rock Kleen technology into their flowsheets in conjunction with cyanide leaching."  Mr. Key obtained his heap leach design and operating experience from his oversite of the Borealis Mine restart while serving for four years as President and CEO of Gryphon Gold Corp. (GGN:TSX/ GYPH:OTC.BB) .

Cleans the rock of previously used cyanide and nitrogen

Rock Kleen Technology has been shown to neutralize residual cyanide in gold/silver heap leach materials during the treatment process. Converting cyanide laced waste materials to clean rock makes possible the use of the materials for industrial minerals. Rock Kleen may also be the solution for leaching of gold/silver deposits in jurisdictions where cyanide is not legal. The Rock Kleen Technology also neutralizes residual acid in copper heap leach materials during the treatment process while recovering residual copper.

Rock Kleen also removes nitrogen. Most mining occurs through the drilling and blasting of the in-situ rock. The main explosive agent used is ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate is used due to its cost effectiveness in completing the job. Residual nitrogen remains in the broken rock and subsequently in the leach pads.  Nitrogen leaving the leach pad through water passing through it is regulated due to its potential for contaminating groundwater. Rock Kleen recovers the nitrogen through a bleed stream and uses it in the manufacturing of GOLD'n GRO Multi Nutrient Fertilizers.

Converts leached materials to industrial minerals products

Industrial minerals is a mature and steady market. Combined industrial mineral consumption in California and Nevada approaches 300 million tons per year. Product categories include sized crushed rock, crushed rock fines, clays and minerals. Industrial minerals are used for construction, concrete production, paint production, fillers in rubber and plastics, wall board production and many other uses. End use products of each separate resource will be defined by its mineralogical make-up. Mineralogical make-up and availability of efficient low-cost rail transportation will significantly affect the economic viability of the industrial minerals. The philosophy of using as much of a resource as possible has implications on ground tailings also. Additional minerals not previously targeted can be recovered while the "clean" tailings can be used as fine crushed rock, clays, micas and minerals that serve an industrial purpose. 

Eliminates or reduces capital cost of tailings storage

Rock Kleen advantages include converting all of a resource to salable products so there are no requirements for tailings storage at the mine site. Lined storage for tailings will add approximately $3 per ton of tailings to the initial capital cost. Much of this cost, which can be in the tens of millions of dollars, will be eliminated.

Can make permitting easier and quicker

Tailings dams are a worldwide issue for the mining industry. Eliminating tailings impoundments or minimizing their size will aide in public safety and greatly enhance permitting applications for mining operations.  China, Brazil and many other jurisdictions have taken measures to clamp down on tailings facility design to the point of eliminating certain types of tailings impoundments.  Rock Kleen may provide the opportunity to eliminate some major bonding costs, provide a more permittable design, and generate profit using mine tailings as industrial minerals products while recovering additional precious and base metals.

Eliminates bonding requirements of heap or tailings impoundments

Currently in Nevada there are more than 5000 tailings heap leach pads.  Many of these pads are under bonding requirements tying up millions of company dollars while leaving un-natural features on the state's landscape.  From the company's perspective their costs include bonds, insurance and continuous monitoring, each consuming company resources.  Rock Kleen can end the need for bonding of leach pads by eliminating unsightly rock piles and converting this rock into salable industrial minerals products.  Whitney & Whitney has completed a review indicating that more than 400 million tons of treatable heap leach tails exist in the Yerington, Nevada to Tonopah, Nevada corridor that is near rail service.  The ability to form profitable industrial minerals operations and recover residual metals using Rock Kleen Technology creates a huge new business opportunity for both the mining company and Itronics.

Energy Saving Technology

Rock Kleen Tailings Processingis a revolutionary Itronics "Clean Tech Materials" development that cleans mine tailings of residual cyanide and makes the previously mined materials available for Industrial Mineral usage.  This is Energy Saving technology because it avoids the significant energy costs of mining and crushing the rock.  Producing crushed rock, clays, crushed rock fines and minerals from previously mined tailings provides huge opportunities for this Itronics Zero Waste Energy Saving Technology by saving energy and maximizing materials use.  Up to 60 percent of the cost of mining is energy, so the energy cost savings are very substantial. Rock Kleen is produced by Itronics' proprietary GOLD'n GRO technology.

"Through Itronics Research and Development we have found a way to potentially maximize the value of in-situ ore or make possible the conversion of previously unprofitable low-grade rock into a profitable reserve. From processed heap leach tails and ground tailings Rock Kleen recovers additional precious and base metals plus industrial minerals from what was previously a waste," said Dr. John Whitney, President of Itronics. "Rock Kleen is a potential game changer for the mining industry using this Itronics 'Clean Tech Materials' portfolio technology. Maximum extraction of resource value has always been the key to maximum profitability of mines. Rock Kleen recovers additional metals and cleans the rock for industrial minerals usage providing additional revenue while eliminating waste. Base metals recovered using Rock Kleen Technology are perfect for use as raw materials in the Itronics GOLD'n GRO fertilizer manufacturing process. Designing gold/silver heap leach mines using Rock Kleen, or Rock Kleen in conjunction with cyanide leaching, will ensure maximum heap leach recoveries while targeting 100 percent of the resource as profitable product."

About Itronics

Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics Inc. is an emerging Cleantech Growth Company that uses proprietary multi-nutrient fertilizer manufacturing technologies to produce GOLD'n GRO multi-nutrient fertilizers and breakthrough Zero Waste Technologies to recover fertilizer ingredients, silver bullion, and silver-bearing glass from waste streams that contain silver, gold, copper, zinc, tin, and other metals. 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.

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 at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_lawn-garden?ie+UTF8&field-brandtextbin=GOLD%27n+GRO&node+2972638011. Due to expanded retail customer interest, GOLD'n GRO fertilizer may now be purchased in Reno, Nevada at "Buy Nevada First Gift Shop," 4001 S. Virginia St.

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("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
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SOURCE Itronics Inc.