Arizona Tribune - Itronics Advances Critical Minerals Processing as Federal Action Targets Expansion of Domestic Supply of Recoverable Critical Minerals, Including Battery Black Mass

RENO, NV / ACCESS Newswire / August 25, 2026 / Itronics Inc. (OTC PINK:ITRO), a proven chemical technology platform company operating across critical minerals processing, specialty fertilizer, and tailings recovery, today highlighted a recent federal action expanding the domestic market for recovered critical minerals, and announced continued progress toward commercial-scale launch of its Zinc Manganese Concentrate (ZMC) critical minerals processing operation.

On July 30, 2026, President Trump issued a Presidential Determination under Section 101 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 identifying recoverable critical minerals and materials as essential to U.S. national defense and directing the U.S. Department of Commerce to take action to secure their supply, part of a broader pattern of federal investment totaling billions of dollars in expanding domestic critical minerals production capacity. The Determination expressly includes battery black mass within the definition of recoverable critical minerals and materials. Itronics' ZMC processing technology is designed to recover manganese, zinc, graphite, and potassium from alkaline battery black mass. The Determination establishes a federal framework for further action by Commerce to strengthen domestic supply and processing of these materials.

On August 20, 2026, Itronics received a response from the White House, which was signed by President Donald J. Trump, thanking Itronics President Dr. John W. Whitney for his correspondence regarding domestic critical-mineral production.

"This is a strong signal from Washington that domestically processed critical minerals, including the black mass generated from end-of-life batteries, are a national priority," said Dr. John W. Whitney, President of Itronics. "Itronics has spent 25 years developing the technology to recover these minerals. As federal policy moves to keep more of this material and its processing in the United States, we believe Itronics is well positioned to benefit."

Integration Progress: ZMC and GOLD'n GRO

ZMC processing is designed to generate high-purity solid manganese dioxide for direct sale into steel and battery markets. Itronics is also advancing engineering and flow sheet design work to integrate zinc and manganese recovered in liquid form from the same process directly into production of its GOLD'n GRO Multi-Nutrient Liquid Fertilizers, maximizing the value of the full material stream while lowering GOLD'n GRO's input costs. Process optimization is progressing ahead of the Company's planned commencement of commercial-scale ZMC processing operations, targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Financing Round

To support the launch of commercial-scale ZMC processing operations, Itronics has opened a private placement offering. Proceeds will be used to fund the Company's transition into commercial ZMC operations, including feedstock procurement, production equipment, staffing, and completion of its financial audit and share reregistration process.

"With a supportive federal policy environment and a technology platform already proven through two decades of commercial fertilizer production, the Company will use this raise to bring ZMC processing online and begin capturing the value in a material stream that has, until now, gone largely unrecovered," said Dr. Whitney.

About Itronics Inc.

Itronics Inc. (OTC PINK:ITRO) is a proven chemical technology platform company that transforms undervalued and waste materials into critical minerals, specialty fertilizers, and industrial materials. Built on 25 years of proprietary Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) chemistry and unified by a single technology platform, Itronics operates across three business units: GOLD'n GRO specialty fertilizers, ZMC critical minerals processing, and Rock Kleen tailings recovery. Learn more at www.itronics.com.

VISIT OUR WEB SITE: https://www.itronics.com

We encourage investors, prospective partners, and interested parties to reach out to the Company directly and welcome the opportunity to connect.

Contact:
Kyle Graham, Investor Relations
[email protected]
775-305-0373

("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. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.)

SOURCE: Itronics Inc.

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