CHLORIDE, Ariz., Jan. 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hondo Minerals Corporation (OTCBB: HMNC.OB), today announced preliminary success with its processing facility at the Old Tennessee Mine in Chloride, Arizona. The company is producing commercial quantities of pregnant leached solution (PLS) using its exclusive eLeach process. Metal is being extracted from the PLS using its Renocell electroplating systems.
The company has filled two of its Renocells with metals and is currently drying the Renocells which is the final step in preparation for metal extraction. Once the Renocells are dry and extraction is complete, the metals will be ready to be poured.
Bill Miertschin Chairman and CEO of Hondo said, "We are now at the stage were the company will begin pouring metals. We are extremely happy to show that our proprietary process is scalable and working."
The Renocell is a proprietary machine developed by Renovare Corporation of Alameda, CA, which performs electroplating on a carbon mesh. The company is expecting delivery of the remaining Renocells, the production scale electroplating systems, by the end of this month to complete the construction of its first commercial scale extraction plant. Electroplating is a standard process to remove metals from the pregnant solution created by the leaching process step. Electrical current is applied to a conductor, which causes the metal to precipitate on the conductor. The conductor is then burned away to leave metal. The installation of the remaining Renocells is the last stage to ramping up to full scale processing of the one million ton tailings pile present at the mine. The company intends to extract gold, silver, zinc, lead, and other metals that it believes to be present in the pile.
About Hondo Minerals
Hondo Minerals Corporation is engaged in the acquisition of mines, mining claims and mining real estate in the United States, Canada and Mexico with mineral reserves of precious metals or non-ferrous metals. Hondo owns the Tennessee and Schuylkill Mines in Chloride, Arizona. The Tennessee Mine was the largest producing silver mine in Arizona history. The Tennessee Mine operated from the late 1800′s until 1947 producing lead, zinc, gold and silver. The Company also owns numerous other mining claims in the US Southwest, which are being evaluated for additional reserves.