RENO, Nev., April 4, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Nasdaq:ALTI) announced today that it has expanded its Technical Advisory Board to include Dr. Willem Duyvesteyn and Dr. Eugene Thiers. Together Dr. Duyvesteyn and Dr. Thiers bring a significant body of knowledge and experience to the Advisory Board, particularly as it pertains to the $9 billion titanium dioxide pigment industry.
Dr. Willem Duyvesteyn, with an extensive and lustrous career within the mining industry and related disciplines, has held the position of Vice President and General Manager Minerals Technology for BHP during the development of a unique pigment technology that was ultimately acquired by Altair Nanotechnologies. Prior to joining BHP, Dr. Duyvesteyn was professor of extractive metallurgy and Chairman of the Department of Raw Materials Processing and Acting Dean of the College of Mines of Delft University, the Netherlands.
Dr. Duyvesteyn is the author of over 25 technical publications in the field of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy and holds over 35 U.S. and international patents in his field of nickel processing, titanium dioxide production, precious metal recovery, and biotechnology. Dr. Duyvesteyn was awarded the Gold Fields Gold Medal from the United Kingdom Institute for Mining and Metallurgy in 1997.
Dr. Eugene Thiers, Senior Director Technology Commercialization of SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) has more than 26 years of experience in consulting and management, focusing on business and regulatory analyses. Prior to joining SRI, Dr. Thiers was Director of Battelle's Iron Information Center. He has worked on several projects involving chemical and energy industries, specializing in financial analysis of basic industries. Dr. Thiers taught economics and strategic management at Stanford University for 14 years. A recognized expert within the pigment industry, Dr. Theirs has visited and consulted with most all pigment manufacturing facilities and titanium mines worldwide.
"Both Gene and Willem are well known and respected within their fields," said Dr. Rudi E. Moerck. "Their extensive knowledge and network of domestic and international industry contacts will be invaluable to Altair as we pursue the licensing of our patented titanium dioxide process to large companies within the pigment industry."
"Altair's pigment technology has several significant advantages over both the sulfate and the chloride process that are currently in use," said Dr. Duyvesteyn. "In addition to its economic and environmental advantages the process can utilize a wide variety of titanium ores including a variety of very low grade economically priced ores. Altair is to be applauded for its outstanding work in developing this process with a small budget and limited resources. Based on my years of industry experience," continued Dr. Duyvesteyn, "this patented process is the best technology available for the production of titanium dioxide pigment."
"As energy prices increase and environmental regulations begin to tighten on the storage of sulfate and chloride pigment process waste, the advantages of Altair's titanium dioxide process will become even more attractive to major pigment manufacturers and provide them a distinct competitive advantage," said Dr. Thiers. "Altair's patented process could allow countries with substantial titanium ore reserves and low labor costs, such as China, to become the dominant pigment producer in possibly less than 10 years - perhaps five years. It is likely that China could build a sizeable plant, much like Rio Tinto's plant in Quebec and, instead of producing iron and titanium feed stocks, it would produce iron and titanium dioxide pigment."
ALTAIR NANOTECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Nanotechnology is rapidly emerging as a unique industry sector. Altair Nanotechnologies is positioning itself through product innovation within this emerging industry to become a leading supplier of nanomaterial technology and nanomaterials worldwide. Altair owns a proprietary technology for making nanocrystalline materials of unique quality both economically and in large quantities. The company is currently developing special nanomaterials with potential applications in pharmaceuticals, batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, advanced energy storage devices, thermal spray coatings, catalysts, cosmetics, paints and environmental remediation. For additional information on Altair and its nanoparticle materials, visit www.altairnano.com
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