BORON MINING

Sourcing, extraction and mining of Boron is a complicated affair requiring huge investment for this criticial mineral. Learn how the industry players are shaping the future of boron supplies 

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MINING, PODCASTS

Podcast – Boron and U.S. Rare Earths

Podcast - Today, we're going to take a look at boron and US rare earths and the stockpiling policy. The US is boosting the stockpile of its rare earth materials, such as cobalt and lithium. But why is this? The answer is partly to reduce dependence on China and partly to have a strategic policy towards rare earth sourcing and distribution.

CP Vulcan Energy Resources 1024x576
Company Profiles, MINING

Company Profile of Vulcan Energy Resources

Vulcan Energy Resources announced in November that its leading German site had significant lithium reserves with 181 milligrams per litre. Lithium and Boron can be found and extracted from Geothermal Brine. Vulcan plans to market its lithium as “zero carbon.”. Vulcan’s Zero Carbon Lithium business is different from current lithium extraction projects in that it causes no disruptions to communities or the environment.

Boron 101
MINING

The Boron Production Process

Boron is a naturally occurring chemical element. It is mostly found in the arid regions of California and Turkey. Pure boron is extracted and converted into various agricultural and industrial products through diverse and complex processes.

Rio Tinto Mine Suspended
Company Profiles, MINING

Rio Tinto Mine Serbia Lithium Boron Licences Revoked

Rio Tinto Mine. The Serbian government has finally revoked Rio Tinto's licenses for lithium exploration in Serbia in the latter part of January 2022. The government gave in to the protesters who have been opposed to the Anglo-Australian mining company's project on environmental grounds. Last year, the company committed to the project as global miners push for metals necessary to transition to green energy. This includes lithium which is used in the production of electric vehicle batteries. The project was already suspended in December 2021 due to environmental deterioration and forced displacement concerns.

China Borates
Aerospace, Company Profiles, INDUSTRY SECTORS, MINING

Country Profile of China

Country Profile of China Borates - China is a net importer of borates with few natural resources. However, it still dominates in exporting finished products to global markets as the third-largest exporter. China holds only 3% of global borate reserves. China's most crucial boron minerals are tincal, borosilicate, and ascharite. Liaoning and Qinghai are the main areas with minable borate resources.

Podcast - Billion Dollar Boron
MINING, PODCASTS, SPECIAL REPORTS

Podcast – Billion Dollar Boron

Podcast - Billion dollar boron. In 2021, borates sales hit billions of dollars. Why? The demand for boron is increasing rapidly in strategic sectors such as aerospace and defense, zero-carbon, and advanced energy solutions, which depend on boron-based technologies to reduce emissions. Recent forecasts predict that boron demand will increase by 30% by the end of the decade.

Boron - Eti Maden
INDUSTRY SECTORS, MINING

The Economics of Boron Production

The primary source of both boron and borate is the mining of minerals that contain it. Borax, for example, was originally mined from a dry lake in Turkey before being found to be more profitable at other locations such as Alaska where deposits can be located within...

FEAM and Solar Energy
ADVANCED ENERGY, MINING

FEAM And Solar Energy Systems

5E Advanced Materials, Inc. (“5E”) (Nasdaq: FEAM)(ASX: 5EA) has signed a research agreement with Boston College to explore the creation of innovative solar energy systems to help make renewable energy more affordable and accessible.

Turkey And Boron
ADVANCED ENERGY, MINING, PODCASTS

Podcast – Turkey and Boron

Today, we're going to look at Turkey and Boron. Turkey is the world's largest producer of boron through the government-owned Eti Maden. With enough reserves to cover global demand for the next 500 years, Turkey stands first in market share, manufactures, and markets 62% of the world's boron.

Critical Mineral Boron in the Mojave Desert
MINING

Critical Mineral Boron in the Mojave Desert

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.

Country Profile Russia
Chemistry, Company Profiles, MINING

Country Profile of Russia

Country Profile of Russia: Russia is the fourth-largest supplier of borates to global markets, which present about 12% of the global total, with boric acid as the main export. The current Russia, Ukraine conflict is not having a noticeable impact on supply and production in the short term for borates supply. Still, Putin is considering sanctions on a wide range of minerals and finished products for export.

Boron Blue Diamonds
APPLICATIONS, MINING

Boron Blue Diamonds

Boron blue diamonds - Diamonds are valued for their lustre and sparkle, making them precious commodities. Creating the beautiful diamond jewels that people adore as betrothal or pure indulgence symbols is a complex and lengthy process. Some diamonds are rarer than others. Believe it or not, Boron is the trace element that gives some rare diamonds a blue colour - the story of the Hope diamond is one such beneficiary of Boron's colour.

Critical Minerals
Company Profiles, MINING, SPECIAL REPORTS

Critical Minerals Crushed

Many critical minerals shares have been hit hard in recent months as the prices of these commodities have declined sharply. While the overall market has seen sharp declines, shares of companies involved in the mining and production of these critical minerals have been hit even harder.

ABR Production 3x
INVEST IN BORON, MINING

ABR Boron Production 3x

According to a press release from ABR on November 16th, 2021, the company has announced 'ABR production triples' with a near tripling of production capability for the critical mineral boron at its Fort Cady operations in Southern California. Boron is becoming recognized as an essential mineral for use in multiple applications in decarbonization, advanced energy - batteries- and food security- as a micronutrient.

Podcast - Billion Dollar Boron
INVEST IN BORON, MINING

Billion Dollar Boron

Billion dollar boron. In 2021, borates sales hit billions of dollars. Why? The demand for boron is increasing rapidly in strategic sectors such as aerospace and defense, zero-carbon, and advanced energy solutions, which depend on boron-based technologies to reduce emissions. Recent forecasts predict that boron demand will increase by 30% by the end of the decade.

decarbonization rio tinto - boron
DECARBONIZATION, MINING

Rio Tinto Decarbonization

Rio Tinto announced a $7.5 billion plan to reduce carbon emissions to 50% by 2030 in October 2021. Rio Tinto stated that it aimed to reduce carbon emissions by half by 2020 as steel and iron ore producers push for compliance with international climate commitments. Rio pushed forward its 2020 target for a 15% reduction of emissions from 2018, five years earlier than it had previously planned.

Boron Minerals
Chemistry, MINING

Boron Minerals

Boron minerals are found in the Earth's crust; its various forms come from different geological structures, such as pegmatite and metamorphic rocks. The most common boron minerals include Tincal, Tincalconite, Colemanite, Kernite, Ulexite, Pandermite, Boracite, Hydroboracite, Inderite, Ascharite, Datolite, Sassolite, Meyerhofferite, Inyoite, and Probertite.

Boron - Rio Tinto
Company Profiles, MINING

Company Profile of Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a major player in Boron mining. The company has been around for more than 100 years. And now it employs more than 60,000 people across the globe. In this blog post, we will take a look at Rio Tinto’s role in Boron mining and where they are located.

Boron in Eyewear
Company Profiles, MINING

Country Profile Boron Turkey

Country Profile - Boron Turkey: Evidence of borates mining has been found dating back to Roman times in Turkey. Turkey is the world’s largest producer with 73% of the world's total boron reserves. The largest tincal deposit is the Kirka deposit at Eskisehir. Bigadic (colemanite & ulexite), Emet(colemanite), Kestelek (colemanite, probertite & ulexite), Kirka (tincal) are the main borate-producing regions of Turkey.

Argentina - Country Profile
MINING

Country Profile of Argentina

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.

ABR Boron Production Triples
INVEST IN BORON, MINING

ABR Increased Head-Grade

American Pacific Borates New Mine Plan with Increased Head-Grade. ABR's CEO, Henri Tausch, comments that yet another milestone that will allow them to be US-listed. And, perhaps most importantly, the mining firm also has three additional benefits connected with the S-K1300 conversion process.

Boron markets
ADVANCED ENERGY, MINING, PODCASTS

Podcast – Boron Markets Ultimate Guide Part 2

Today, we'll continue our look at a number of markets where boron and borax compounds are used, including the Boron Trifluoride Market, Potassium Fluoborate Market, the Tin Fluoborate Market, the Permanent Magnets Market, the Super Abrasives Market, the Cubic Boron Nitride Market, the Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market, the Lithium BIS Borate Market, and the Cubic Boron Nitrates Market.

Boron ABR
MINING

Borates and Boron Everything Mining

Everything You Need To Know About Borate and Boron Mining It was named for the mineral borax, thought to come from the Persian name burah for that mineral. There are over 200 minerals that contain boron, but only a few such as colemanite and borax are commercially...

Boron and EV Batteries
Batteries and Capacitors, Company Profiles, RESEARCH

Company Profile of Li-S Energy Limited – Boron Battery

Li-S Energy Limited, established in 2019, is an Australian company, a joint venture between Li-S Energy's founding shareholders, PPK Group, BNNT Technology, and Deakin University. Its purpose is to develop a new battery technology that incorporates Boron Nitride Nanotubes, which are more efficient, lower cost, and greener than current batteries for markets including automotive, defense and aviation.

Junior Lithium miners
MINING, PODCASTS

Junior Lithium Miners – Market Update

Today, we'll continue our look at a number of markets where boron and borax compounds are used, including the Boron Trifluoride Market, Potassium Fluoborate Market, the Tin Fluoborate Market, the Permanent Magnets Market, the Super Abrasives Market, the Cubic Boron Nitride Market, the Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market, the Lithium BIS Borate Market, and the Cubic Boron Nitrates Market.

Country Profile - USA
Company Profiles, MINING

Country Profile of Boron USA

Boron USA: The production of boron USA and boron extracted products in the USA is a strategic activity. Borates extraction as high-end minerals contributes to the advanced technology of industries such as aerospace and defence. They are also important to secure food supply in domestic agriculture, and contribute to decarbonisation efforts. The USA is a net importer of borates given Eti Maden’s control of supply and declining production by Rio Tinto but new sources – the Fort Cady project by ABR – will address this imbalance

Boron at Fukushima

Boron at Fukushima

Boron at Fukushima: In 2011 a severe nuclear meltdown occurred in Fukushima at the atomic reactor on the coast. Authorities resorted to spreading a boron compound on the site to halt the spread of radiation. How did boron help mitigate radiation and meltdown at the time? How does it also act as an inhibitor in the nuclear rods themselves?

Balancing Habitat versus Critical Mineral Mining

Balancing Habitat versus Critical Mineral Mining

Balancing Habitat versus Critical Mineral Mining: Lithium and boron are two examples of crucial minerals essential in reducing our planet's carbon footprint for industries such as defense, automotive, construction, aviation, and aerospace. It is challenging to preserve the natural environment when starting new mines to extract these resources. How do companies such as Rio Tinto, American Pacific Borates (currently rebranding to 5E Advanced Materials), and Ioneer manage this dilemma and obtain the permits necessary in their respective locations?

Boron Joins the Rare Earths Club

Boron Joins the Rare Earths Club

Rare Earth elements are valuable because they have magnetic and optical properties which create technologies in components such as audio speakers, hard drives, camera lenses, MRI imaging, and monitors of all sorts. But there is a cost to mining them as post-mining purification processes create hazardous waste. Boron is a potential alternative, providing clean and superconductive, energy-efficient benefits while being cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Alkaline Boron – a Balancing Force in Nature

Alkaline Boron – a Balancing Force in Nature

Alkaline Balancing pH is a key component to creating an environment that is healthy for life. Boron, a non-metal found harmlessly and naturally combined with oxygen as borates, helps create this balance. Boron is a key element that can be beneficial for your health...

Boron and U.S. Rare Earths

Boron and U.S. Rare Earths

The U.S. is boosting the stockpile of its rare earth minerals such as cobalt and lithium. Why? Partly to reduce dependence on China and partly to have a strategic policy towards rare earth sourcing and distribution. Rare earths are valuable resources used in E.V. batteries and decarbonization. What is the stance on boron and U.S. rare earths as a critical mineral?

U.S. Government Designates ABR Boron Fort Cady Facility as Critical Infrastructure

U.S. Government Designates ABR Boron Fort Cady Facility as Critical Infrastructure

ABR Boron Facility: In a welcome move for ABR, the US Government has designated the Fort Cady boron and lithium site as critical infrastructure. Given the high demand and limited supply for boron, the move marks an important step in securing supplies of boron for key industries such as advanced energy and for decarbonization efforts.

A Town Called Boron

A Town Called Boron

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.

Tesla and Boron

Tesla and Boron

Tesla is an American electric vehicle manufacturer and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Tesla manufactures electric cars and battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels, solar roof tiles, and other related products and services. With a market capitalization of almost $1 trillion, Tesla is one of the most valuable automobile manufacturers globally. It uses lithium and boron to deliver alternative energy sources and boron to provide a lighter, more muscular frame.

ABR Boron Production 3x

ABR Boron Production 3x

According to a press release from ABR on November 16th, 2021, the company has announced 'ABR production triples' with a near tripling of production capability for the critical mineral boron at its Fort Cady operations in Southern California. Boron is becoming recognized as an essential mineral for use in multiple applications in decarbonization, advanced energy - batteries- and food security- as a micronutrient.

The Boron Value Chain

The Boron Value Chain

Borates are boron containing compounds that offer many benefits to industries like construction, electronics, and water treatment. They are also useful in food processing and agriculture as a fertilizer or pesticide. There is scope to explore the value chain of borates from extraction to distribution. What does it take to create/enhance the value of borate products in different markets and applications?

Country Profile of Argentina

Country Profile of Argentina

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.

Rio Tinto – Jadar Valley Lithium Project Suspended

Rio Tinto – Jadar Valley Lithium Project Suspended

Rio Tinto has found itself in the news again after its lithium project in Jadar, Serbia, was suspended after protests by the local community in Serbia. The backlash does not bode well for mining companies looking to open mines in response to a growing demand for minerals such as lithium that are fuelling advanced energy growth in multiple business sectors, including automotive, defence, aerospace.

Podcast – Boron Powers Space Exploration

Podcast – Boron Powers Space Exploration

Podcast - Boron Powers Space Exploration. Boron is an excellent choice for rocket fuel given its ease of manufacture, availability, and low storage costs. It is also a good additive for jet fuel. Scientists at the University of California Riverside are testing ammonia borane, NH3BH3, as an alternative to traditional carbon-based chemical rocket fuels. This could lead to carbon-free space launches.

Boron in Sports Equipment

Boron in Sports Equipment

Boron as boron fiber and boron steel has excellent tensile strength. Boron is used in sports equipment like golf clubs, fishing rods, tennis rackets, and bicycle frames. It renders them the required power, flexibility, lightness, and durability, thus, contributing to better performance. The sports goods company, Mizuno, has emerged as a leading manufacturer of sports equipment composed of boron.

Welding with Boron Steel

Welding with Boron Steel

Welding with Boron Steel: Boron is widely used in construction materials as a strengthening agent and anticorrosive agent. When it comes to steel structures, boron has a particular role in strengthening and anti-fracturing steel welds. Boron oxide and boron carbide are the most commonly used compounds in this context.