Borax Profile

Rio Tinto Borax – the world leader in borate supply and science – is wholly owned by Rio Tinto plc, a world leader in finding, mining and processing the earth's mineral resources.
Borates are part of the natural world. Plants need them to grow and they are part of a healthy diet for people. Borates are also key ingredients in a wide variety of household and commercial products, chief among them:

• Insulation fiberglass, textile fiberglass and heat-resistant
  glass (43% of world borate demand)
• Ceramic and enamel frits and glazes, ceramic tile bodies (12% of world demand)
• Agricultural micronutrients (9% of world borate demand)
• Detergents, soaps and personal care products
  (7% ofworld borate demand)
• Other uses including wood preservatives, flame retardants and pest control products (29% of world borate demand)

Borax's workforce includes nearly 1,400 people serving customers in nearly 100 countries and generating sales in the half billion dollar per annum range.

Annual production totals more than one million tons of refined borates, the majority of which are sold as Borax Decahydrate, Neobor® Borax Pentahydrate, Optibor® Boric Acids and Dehybor® Boric Oxide.

For more information on Borax and borates, visit www.borax.com. For more information on Rio Tinto, visit www.riotinto.com.