Resources

20 Mule Team parade

Celebrating 145 years of Rio Tinto's borates business.

A critical mineral hiding in the desert

For us, the challenge was clear: What can we extract from our waste streams at Boron? At first, our team was on the lookout for gold, but what we discovered was even better… battery-grade lithium! Used in powering smartphones, laptops and electric cars, it’s the stuff the renewable future is made of… literally.

A fundamental part of life on Earth

As one of the chemical elements that make up our planet, boron is all around us—in soil and water, plants and animals—in trace amounts.

Achieving High Rice Yield and Quality with the 20 Mule Team Borate Fertilizers

As one of the micronutrients that all plants need, boron plays an important role in a number of vital processes in rice growth such as cell wall synthesis, cell membrane functions, root development, pollen tube germination, flower initiation and seed production.

Agriculture Product Summary

Alfalfa (Virginia, USA)

Orange, Virginia (1971): Yield was significantly improved

Alfalfa (Wisconsin, USA)

Wisconsin (2020-2021): Granubor showed a better performance than the control at all rates even though not statistically different.

Alfalfa: Boron for profitable alfalfa

Alfalfa has a higher boron requirement than most crops. For optimum yields of high quality alfalfa, it is essential to maintain adequate supplies of available boron throughout the growing season.

Ammonium Pentaborate

Ammonium pentaborate is a product resulting from the controlled reaction of ammonia, water, and boric acid.

Ammonium Pentaborate SQ Granular

A white, crystalline product manufactured in France by Borax Francais S.A.S.

Ammonium Pentaborate Technical Powder

A white, crystalline product manufactured in France by Borax Francais S.A.S.

Amounts of Solubor to mix into spray tanks to supply desired boron rates

Solubor is highly water soluble, and is commonly applied in foliar sprays. Because the season for the most effective foliar application of boron is short, foliar sprays must be prepared quickly and accurately.