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[October 2004]
Atlas Mining's Halloysite Reaches Operational Status
Atlas Mining Company (Osburn, ID, USA) has confirmed the operational status of its processing plant at its Dragon Mine property in Juab County, UT, USA. President and CEO William Jacobson, said: "We've had a long, hard summer of site preparation and I'm very pleased to announce that we're now operational and are processing halloysite".
The Dragon Mine is a rich cache of the mineral halloysite. Historically, halloysite has been used in the manufacture of bone china, fine china and porcelain products. However, both Atlas based and other chemists and scientists have discovered new uses for the processed mineral.
The Dragon Mine halloysite also has a unique tubular quality, not unlike a grain of rice, only considerably smaller and hollow. The halloysite microtubules can act as a time-release capsule, dissolving over time, and can be filled with such things as antifouling paint, antiscalants, herbicides, pest repellents and other agents which could benefit from a controlled release.
The mine in Juab County is the only known commercial source of halloysite outside of New Zealand.
ENDS