SUPPLY SECURITY
Borates, the key ingredient in detergent, fibreglass, glass, and ceramics, is now on the way to demand recovery after a poor 2009.
Production of boron minerals (borates), used to produce refined borate chemicals, is dominated by the USA and Turkey, which account for about 75% of world output, with the remaining 25% produced by South America, Russia and China.
According to the USGS, world production was 4.5m. tonnes in 2009 (gross weight ore) excluding US output. It is estimated that global production could range between 5-6m. tonnes including US estimated data.
Large deposits of boron resources occur in the USA and Turkey. US deposits consists primarily of tincal and kernite together with borates contained in brines.
Turkish deposits are 70% colemanite. Salar deposits are also mined in South America, mainly in Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia.
Turkey, the world largest producer, has increased production by more than...