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MINING & REFINING
Some minerals are refined using intense heat and complicated chemical processes. Others just need to be sifted. Borax uses six basic steps to transform raw ore into more than one million tons of refined borates every year. Most of the processes that set the standard for modern borate refining were developed in Boron Operations.
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Dissolving
In the first step of refining, crushed ore is mixed with hot liquor - a combination of borates and water. The borates dissolve in the water. Insoluble rocks, sand and other solids are removed using screens. |
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Settling
Next, the saturated borate solution is pumped into large settling tanks called "thickeners." Because the rock and clay mixture is heavier, it settles to the bottom of the tank, leaving borates dissolved in water - or liquor - on top. |
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Crystallizing
Liquor is transported to tanks called "crystallizers" which cool the solution. The drop in temperature forces the borates to crystallize, forming a slurry of borate crystals and water. |
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Filtering
The slurry is poured over special fabric filters and washed to ensure purity. Water is drawn away by a vacuum beneath the filter. |
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Drying
Damp borate crystals are then transferred to huge rotating dryers that use hot air to finish the crystal drying process. |
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Conveying
Dry borates drop onto a conveyor belt to be transported for storage or packing and shipping. |
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Testing
At each stage of the process, borate samples are taken for quality checks. On site laboratories allow for instant analyses and adjustments. |
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Storing
Refined borates are stored in 100-foot silos or the 20,000-ton domes at Boron Operations. Total storage capacity at this site is more than 100,000 tons. |
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