BORON MINING

Scientists and mining professionals know boron as a strategic mineral that powers advanced energy and serve multiple industrial, agricultural, and household applications. But there is another Boron, a town called boron in California. Many of the population of Boron work at the U.S. Borax mine nearby, after which the town was renamed.

As lithium moves from powering batteries to revolutionizing technology, countries possessing a strategic reserve of lithium will be poised for a successful journey into the future.

Argentina is the fifth-largest producer of natural borates. Deposits of borate can be found throughout Argentina, including in the provinces of Neuquén (Gran Chaco), Rio Negro, San Juan, and Mendoza (Cordoba). The first boric acid in Argentina was produced in 1894 at the La Plata mine when sodium tetraborate ore was extracted for the first time. The country became a major producer in 1900.

Ulexite, a boron mineral found in the American southwest, is recognized for its intense, pearly white color. This stone first garnered attention in 1840 and is named after the German chemist George Ludwig Ulex, who first explained its chemical composition.

Critical mineral boron is used in various applications, from agriculture to nuclear power. It's also one of the few minerals we don't have enough. As with other strategic minerals, obtaining a license for production is hard given the environmental impact on the land.