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MINING & REFINING
While mining is one of the oldest industries, Borax uses the latest technology - from satellites to computers - to achieve world class productivity, to protect employee health and safety, and to minimize our environmental impact.
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Drilling
Drilling is an important part of exploration, and the best way to sample the type and purity of the ore beneath the surface. Information about the deposit's location and composition is fed into a computer to develop long-term mine plans. Drills are also used to dig blast holes. |
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Blasting
Borax uses explosives to blast loose the "overburden" and beneath it, the ore. Overburden is what we call the sandstone that covers the deposit. |
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The Big Picture
To get an idea of what it feels like to work in the pit, consider that this shovel stands as tall as a five-story building. You can also see the steps or "terraces" that are cut into the face of the pit. These terraces help keep the walls from collapsing. |
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Shoveling
Once the ore and overburden are loosened, huge shovels like this one scoop up the rubble from the bottom of the mine and dump it into haul trucks. Each shovel can lift 80 tons per load ... or about as much as 40 cars weigh. This shovel stands seven stories tall and runs on 7100 volts of electricity. |
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Hauling
Borax's haul trucks are tracked in the mine using GPS satellite systems to ensure efficient and safe operations. Each truck costs more than one million dollars and has to be shipped in pieces and built at the mine. Haul trucks measure 20 feet high, 40 feet long and drive on 12-foot-high tires - and each one can carry 240 tons of material. When haul truck tires wear out, we split them down the middle and recycle them as water and feed tanks for livestock. |
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Crushing
Ore from the mine must be crushed before refining. Crushers reduce the ore to one-inch pieces, increasing the ore's surface area which, in turn, makes the refining process more efficient. |
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Conveying
Ore is transported out of the mine and throughout the refinery via an extensive system of conveyors. |
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