SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LUSTROS, INC. (OTCQB:LSTS) announced today its subsidiary, Sulfatos Chile SpA, began pilot production of Pentahydrate Copper Sulfate at its multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art facility.
“This is a moment of celebration for our employees and everyone else involved in the project. Our world-class 120 acre Copper Sulfate facility in Chile is now online and in production,” said Bill Farley, CEO of Lustros, Inc.
The plant capacity is three times its original design and is capable of processing up to 15,000 tons of mineral per month. It is currently permitted at 5,000 tons per month, and permit applications for increased production will be filed very shortly. Current production is expected to result in approximately 529,000 pounds (240,000 kilos) of Pentahydrate Copper Sulfate per month.
Gonzalo Troncoso, President of Lustros, Inc. and CEO of Lustros Chile SpA, commented, “High grade copper reserves are decreasing worldwide. One kilogram of copper yields approximately four kilograms of Copper Sulfate. This reality prompted Lustros to specialize in the production of Copper Sulfate (CuSO4), a value-added product directly derived from copper.”
Copper Sulfate has various rich fundamental properties that make it a useful commercial chemical. It is widely used as a fungicide, herbicide and pesticide as well as an analytical reagent. Demand is increasing rapidly for use as a healthy additive to animal feed to naturally stimulate appetite in cattle, poultry and pigs.
A large percentage of Copper Sulfate produced globally is made from copper scrap that contains toxins (such as Dioxin), which are no longer accepted by major consumer countries. Lustros’ Copper Sulfate is produced directly from mineral rock and is free from scrap pollutants, making it an ideal Feed-Grade Copper Sulfate used for agricultural purposes.
There is strong interest from companies in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Peru, and Chile to purchase Feed-Grade Copper Sulfate in quantities exceeding Lustros’ current potential production capacity.
A comprehensive list of uses for Copper Sulfate is available at: http://www.copper.org/applications/compounds/table_a.html
About Lustros, Inc.
Lustros, Inc., through its Chilean subsidiaries, is in the business the manufacturing of food-grade copper sulfate. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Lustros Chile SpA, Lustros has a majority equity position in Sulfatos Chile S.A., which owns the Anica Copper Mines as well as a copper sulfate production plant and employs a highly experienced staff of mining professionals. Lustros Chile SpA’s subsidiary Mineraltus SA is a Chilean corporation that will process tailings (waste products) of expired copper mines to secure the raw materials to manufacture high quality, feed-grade copper sulfate.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on the Company’s current expectations as to future events. However, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release might not occur, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.