OSBURN, Idaho, March 21, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Atlas Mining Company (OTCBB:ALMI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ron Price as President of Nano Clay and Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Mining Company.
Ronald Price, who has retired from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, has agreed to take over Nano Clay and Technologies Inc., which was started by Atlas Mining Company in 2004, for marketing its Dragon Mine halloysite clay with emphasis on micro tubular and nano related processes.
Dr. Price has consulted with halloysite producers, Fortune 500 companies and Nanotech startups utilizing the halloysite clay technology. His work as a Navy research laboratory scientist resulted in numerous peer reviewed scientific publications and the issuance of U.S. and international patents utilizing halloysite micro tubular technology. A major focus of his research is the use of the Atlas Mining Company's Dragon Mine halloysite clay for the entrapment and controlled release using a range of active agents in a variety of applications.
Many of Dr. Price's patents have been licensed from the U.S. Navy by nanotechnology firms resulting in promising new products. His current focus at Nano Clay and Technologies Inc. will include the production and marketing of technical clays, implementation of new processing technologies as well as further research and development at the Dragon Mine near Silver City, Juab County, Utah.
The Nano Clay and Technologies division is working to develop the ability to offer surface modified clays for a range of catalytic and advanced materials applications such as polymer/clay composites, organic synthesis, and the production of electro-active materials.
Atlas Mining, in conjunction with Nano Clay and Technologies Inc., will aggressively seek to establish strategic partnerships with universities and client companies for the joint development of technologies, and new intellectual property utilizing Atlas products and processing methods.
In addition to the technical uses of the halloysite, Nano Clay and Technologies, Inc. will be investigating other novel uses of production by-products from the Dragon Mine to expand markets and better utilize the mineral assets of the mine.
About Atlas Mining Company: Atlas Mining Company is a diversified natural resource company with focus on the development of the Dragon Mine in Juab County, Utah, the only known commercial source of halloysite clay outside of New Zealand. The unique purity and quality of the Dragon mine halloysite is unmatched anywhere in the world and has spawned considerable research in the nanotechnology fields and has created exciting new applications for this product. Atlas also holds mining and timber interests in Northern Idaho, and operates an underground mining contracting business. Atlas stock trades on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol "ALMI". More information about Atlas Mining Company can be found at www.atlasmining.com
Safe Harbor Statement: Except for the historical statements made herein, the statements made in this release are forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, general business conditions, managing growth, and political and other business risks. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this Safe Harbor Statement and the risks and other factors detailed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atlas Mining Company undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements.