RTM’s open pit mine at Boron, California, which
suffered severe flooding in late December 2010
limiting access to mining sites.
RTM
Late January saw leading borates producer, Rio Tinto Minerals (RTM), declare force majeure on sales of sodium borate grades owing to disruption to mining at Boron, California, after it was impacted by the heavy rain storms that hit the region in late December 2010.
Gary Goldberg, chief executive officer, RTM, told IM: “We declared force majeure on our sodium borate products on Wednesday 26 January 2011, until further notice.
A year’s rain fell in just one week during December last year and we have just finished dewatering the pit.”
Owing to flooding, RTM was unable to enter the mine for a week, and it has taken three-four weeks to secure access to even low grade ore.
“We had limited access to the ore, and the...