BORON AND BORATES NEWS

Borates Today publishes news, insights, guides, and latest special reports about boron, borates, and borax for investors, researchers, and readers interested in Decarbonization; Advanced Energy, Food Security and Micronutrients.

NEWS

ABR Boron Production Triples
INVEST IN BORON, MINING

ABR Appoints 2 Key Executives for US Listing

American Pacific Borates (ABR) has just announced the appointment of two senior executives to support its value engineering activities and US listing and to maximize shareholder value through operational excellence, strategic planning, and parallel diversification initiatives. The company also has plans for a listing in the US. To bring it all to fruition, the company is in discussions with various US-based investment banks, potential US partners, and debt capital market advisors.

NEWS

Boron Thermal Properties

Boron Thermal Properties 2 300x169

The thermal properties of Boron are influenced by temperature and radiation. The trigonal structure of Boron is described by the unit cell. Lattice Angles are the positions of the atoms within the unit cell. Its molecular weight determines the atomic positions of a substance. The molecular weight of a material is related to its temperature properties. This means that Boron has a high heat capacity.

Boron in Coffee

Boron in Coffee

Coffee is one of the most susceptible crops to boron shortage. Boron in coffee is needed for coffee cultivation to improve yield and support healthy growth via cell divisions and cell wall formation in association with calcium, water uptake, roots growth, growth of internodes, setting, calcium uptake, lower aluminum toxicity, and drought resistance.

Valjevo Project and Sustainable Boron, Lithium Mining

Sustainable Lithium Boron Mining

Sustainable Boron and Lithium mining: Borates and lithium are essential for decarbonisation, advanced energy, and food security. The extraction and production of these critical minerals need to respect sustainable principles to satisfy multiple stakeholders, local interest groups, and residents. A case in point is Valjevo in Serbia, where locals have successfully halted the Valjevo project until February 2022 until officials are satisfied sustainable practices will be put in place.

Boron and Lithium the dynamic duo

Metalloid

Boron is often a great substitute for lithium. It has many industrial applications as compared to Lithium. It is an element that has many similarities to lithium, but also some key differences. Boron can be found in the earth’s crust and it exists naturally as boric acid. The two elements have similar properties such as melting points, boiling points, and lengths of atomic chains. They both react with water to form hydrogen gas, which makes them useful for hydrogen fuel cells.

Boron Fibers in Aviation

Boron Fibers in Aviation

Boron fibers are used extensively in military aviation as a tape product to repair cracked aluminium aircraft skins because of their thermal properties and anti-corrosive advantages. It was first developed in the late fifties and used instead of carbon fibers that were unavailable in continuous lengths and glass fibers or with sufficient modulus. Boron fiber was the preferred product for the horizontal tail skins on the F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft and the horizontal and vertical skins and rudder on the F-15 Eagle.

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GUIDE TO BORON

APPLICATIONS

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.

APPLICATIONS

Boron in Eyewear

Boron in eyewear and optics has many applications. Borate minerals such as potassium borate, sodium tetraborate, and boric acid are widely used in manufacturing optical materials. Boron has been an essential ingredient for manufacturers of optical materials since 1887 for eyewear given its water-soluble presence, with benefits including durability, resistance to scratching, and suitability for light transmission.

CHEMISTRY

RESEARCH

Innovation

Rio Tinto Ramps Up Jadar Valley Green Lithium Efforts

Extract: The Jadar Lithium Borate project in Serbia by the Rio Tinto group will produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and borates essential for developing and operating renewable energy equipment. Rio Tinto intends to finish the construction of the underground mine in 2026. The company plans to invest $200 million in the project and begin construction in 2022. Rio Tinto expects to finish the land acquisition, technical documentation preparation, and environmental assessment study by the end of 2021.

RESEARCH, SCIENCE

Boron Fluoride

Boron and Fluorine have several forms, mono fluoride, boron trifluoride and diboron tetrafluoride. Boron monofluoride is often referred to as Boron fluoride. Boron trifluorid is a stable gas at low temperature. While diboron tetrafluoride boils at -34 degrees centigrade. Boron fluoride compounds have several applications in health and remediation technology and agricultural fields.

BENEFITS

FOOD SECURITY, Human Health

Boron in Coffee

Coffee is one of the most susceptible crops to boron shortage. Boron in coffee is needed for coffee cultivation to improve yield and support healthy growth via cell divisions and cell wall formation in association with calcium, water uptake, roots growth, growth of internodes, setting, calcium uptake, lower aluminum toxicity, and drought resistance.

BENEFITS, Chemistry

Borax: The Safe and Effective Detergent

Borax is used in cleaning products because it helps remove dirt and grime. But we need to handle it carefully or it can be dangerous if ingested by children. Borax is a white powdery substance that is also known as sodium tetraborate. Although sodium tetraborate is a salt of boric acid, it is not an acid, it’s a salt.

MINING BORON & BORATES

MINING

Company Profiles, MINING

Valjevo Project and Sustainable Boron, Lithium Mining

Sustainable Boron and Lithium mining: Borates and lithium are essential for decarbonisation, advanced energy, and food security. The extraction and production of these critical minerals need to respect sustainable principles to satisfy multiple stakeholders, local interest groups, and residents. A case in point is Valjevo in Serbia, where locals have successfully halted the Valjevo project until February 2022 until officials are satisfied sustainable practices will be put in place.

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.

INVEST IN BORON

PLANET BORON

DECARBONIZATION

DECARBONIZATION, MINING

Boron, ESG and the Mining Industry

The ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework is growing in significance for mining companies, including those involved in boron extraction. ESG is a set of practices that mines have to comply with to ensure their future sustainability. It will become an integral part of every mining operation worldwide shortly. ESG compliance is difficult for some mines because it requires them to alter their production methods or management style. However, it is not only possible but necessary.

ADVANCED ENERGY

ADVANCED ENERGY

Boron Magnets to Drive Powertrains

Boron is a key component for making permanent magnets. It creates stronger magnetic fields than other types of materials. Permanent magnets use boron to create the necessary poles that can be magnetized and demagnetized over and over again.

FOOD SECURITY

FOOD SECURITY, Human Health

Boron in Food

The highest levels of boron are found in plant foods, including fruit, legumes, and tubers, leafy green vegetables, kale, spinach, and non-citrus fruits. Boron can also be seen as a component of grains, fruits, nuts, prunes, raisins, and other non-citrus fruit. Boron is also found in lesser amounts in beer, wine, and cider.

MICRONUTRIENTS

FOOD SECURITY, MICRONUTRIENTS

Ensuring Micronutrient Boron Supply

Famine is a natural disaster that occurs in underdeveloped countries, famine areas, and war-torn regions. In these regions, micronutrients such as boron are scarce or unavailable to the local population. The lack of micronutrients leads to malnutrition which can cause poverty and other issues such as disease and death. Here is a discussion on the importance of micronutrients for famine relief efforts. Check out their benefits for mental health, physical health, and economic development.