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Itronics' Pilot Scale PCB Refining Operation Helps Boost Silver Bullion Sales
December 29, 2020 | PRNewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Itronics Inc., an emerging 'Cleantech Materials' growth Company that manufactures GOLD'n GRO Multi-Nutrient Fertilizers and produces silver, zinc, and critical minerals recovered from industrial and mining waste, has reported its 2020 silver sales were up 224% over the prior year.
Full year 2020 silver sales are $141,500 compared to $43,700 in 2019. The increase includes results from sales of silver bullion, silver-bearing glass, and silver-bearing x-ray film. The proceeds from silver bullion sales include the value of gold and copper recovered from discarded printed circuit board assemblies.
"In early January we forecasted a significant increase in full year silver sales," said Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. "This year we were able to continue to improve the efficiency and reliability of our 'Breakthrough' pilot scale printed circuit board refining operation despite Covid-19. Silver, gold, and copper prices increased significantly this year which also helped our results."
Itronics is forecasting that its silver sales will increase further in 2021 due to a full year of sales at the current price levels and to per melt yield improvements in the pilot scale refining furnace operations. Significant per melt yield increase was achieved in 2020. This yield improvement will benefit the full year 2021 production and may increase further due to operating improvements that are now being optimized.
Itronics' Breakthrough pilot scale printed circuit board refining operation is producing the silver bullion and silver-bearing glass and is an emerging Zero Waste Energy Saving Technology. Unlike other existing printed circuit board refining technology, Itronics Breakthrough refining technology accomplishes complete printed circuit board utilization. All the printed circuit board assemblies and other feed materials to the process are converted to silver bullion and silver-bearing glass which are being sold. The conversion to silver bullion and silver-bearing glass completely eliminates the printed circuit board assembly waste from the environment. All the metals contained on the printed circuit boards are captured. All the energy content of the printed circuit boards is converted to useable heat energy. The heat energy is 'green energy' and reduces the energy cost of refining by about 50 percent.
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