Borax

Rio Tinto Borax operates the Boron mine in California, US where almost half of the world's refined borates are mined. Boron is the world's largest borates mine with reserves that guarantee production for at least the next 40 years.  The ore is processed locally into a wide range of boron products including borax hydrates and boric acid. A 30,000 tonne per year expansion of theboric acid plant was completed in 2005. Research laboratories in the US and UK provide technical support and participate in collaborative projects with customers. The boron mine in California has been operating since the pick and shovel days of 1872 and was made famous by the 20-mule teams that hauled borates from the mine.

Now mining is assisted by global positioning satellites, refining takes place in multimillion gallon vats and fleets of trucks and barges move the refined minerals around the world. Borates are shipped from bulk terminals at Wilmington, California and Rotterdam, Netherlands. Borax also mines borates from desert lake beds and other deposits in the remote Argentine Andes. Situated at more than 4,000 metres (14,000 feet) above sea level, the Tincalayu complex is South America's largest borate mining operation and that continent's sole source of natural sodium borates.