Boron Industry

Basic Indrustrial Processes Prof. Dr. smail PEKER

Mehmet Eri 14.12.2005

Contents
Properties of Boron Boron Minerals Uses of Boron Products of Turkey BOREN (National Research Institute of Boron) Current and planned near future uses of Boron in Turkey

Boron
Boron was discovered by Joseph GayLussac and Louis Thnard, French chemists, and independently by Sir Humphry Davy, a British chemist, in 1808 The name comes from the Arabic word buraq, "white."

Boron
Boron is a hard, brittle semi_metallic element. Chemical Symbol : B Atomic number : 5 Atomic weight : 10.81 Melting Point : 2348 K Boiling Point : 4273 K

Chemical Properties of Boron

Boron is one of the simplest of atoms. The only simpler ones are hydrogen, helium, lithium and beryllium. Boron has chemical symbol B, atomic number 5, and occurs naturally as 80%

B11 and 20% B10.

Chemical Properties of Boron

The latter isotope has a high cross section for thermal neutron absorption, 3800 barns. Thermal neutron counters are often filled with BF3 gas. The gamma ray from the neutron capture reaction B10(n,-)B11* followed by decay of the B11* to an plus Li7 produces ionization which is then detected. Boron is also used in reactor control rods. This is a nuclear property of boron, and has nothing at all to do with its chemistry. The atomic weight of boron is 10.81.

Boron Minerals
Boron does not occur in nature as free element, Crude borax occurs in nature as a mineral with associated clay and other impurities. There are over 200 naturally occuring boron containing minerals but the most commercially important and frequently traded minerals (salts, known as borates) are

tincal colemanite, ulexite and kernite.

Valuable Boron Minerals

Source: Ulusal Bor Aratrma Enstits

Turkey largest producer of boron ore in the world.

Important boron minerals of Turkey's are tincal, colemanite and ulexite. Boron minerals contain different amount of B2O3 in their structures. The important factor for industrial application of boron minerals are B2O3 content, so they can replace each other in use . This means that one boron mineral can be trade competiter the other one.

Turkey largest producer of boron ore in the world.

Boron minerals can be used in some sectors in the industry as crude minerals. In general, their applications after refining and end-products are wider than crude ones. Borates find use in a different sectors, however the principal markets are: Agriculture, detergents and soaps, flame retardants,glass, glazes, frits , enamels and insulation.

Boron Reserves
In the world, Turkey, USA and Russia have the important boron mines. In terms of total reserve basis, Turkey has a share of %64 The other important country USA is %9. Total world boron reserves on the basis of B2O3 content are 363 million tons proven. 522 million tones probable and possible, as a total of 885 million tons. With a share of %64, Turkey has a total boron reserves of 563 million tons on the basis of B2O3 content .

Boron Reserves

* Source: Eti Holding

Borax
Molten borax reacts with metal oxides to form borates that dissolve in the melt, so it is a useful as a welding and soldering flux, and in colored enamels for iron. In fact, this was the earliest use of borax, as a pottery glaze. This same property is used for borax bead tests in chemistry, where the characteristic colors produced in a transparent borax drop melted on a loop of platinum wire in a bunsen burner flame are observed. Blue, for example, is the color of cobalt; green, of chromium. The color can differ in oxidizing (blue) and reducing (yellow) flames.

Boron Uses

Boron Uses
Boron minerals can be used in some sectors in the industry as crude minerals. In general, their applications after refining and end-products are wider than crude ones. Boron minerals, borates and compounds have a very wide range of applications

Agriculture
Agriculture -Essential micronutrient for all plant

Detergents and Soaps

Act as pH buffer
Soften the Washing water

borax, Na2B4O7.10H2O is a water softener in washing powders

Enhance the solubility of other ingredients

Detergents and Soaps

Act as a gentle but powerful bleaching agent

boron compounds show promise in treating arthritis

Anti-bacterial properties eliminate micro organisms

boric, or boracic, acid, is used as a mild antiseptic

Ceramic Glazes and Enamel Frits

Provide good fluxing properties Provide a good base for dissolving colouring agents.

boron compounds are extensively used in the manufacture of enamels and borosilicate glasses

Insulation Fibreglass
Reduce the temperature at which fibres are formed. Improve the durability of the glass fibres Reduce the viscositry of the molten glass. Increase the biosolubility of the glass fibres.

Timber Preservation
Prevent and control the spread of bacteria. Inhibit corrosion. Act as flame retardant

Flame Retardants
Enhance the performance of alumina trihydrate Effective as flame retardants

Nuclear Power Stations

Absorb thermal neutrons Used to control nuclear reaction Used in nuclear shielding.
10B is used as a control for nuclear reactors, as a shield for nuclear radiation, and in instruments used for detecting neutrons

Cosmetics and Medicine

Neutralize fatty acid. Act as emulsifiers in certain creams Give mild antiseptic properties.

Metallurgy
Used as cover fluxes Dissolve and remove un wanted metal oxides as slag

borax, Na2B4O7.10H2O, is a cleansing flux in welding

Lubricant Rocket Fuels

Lubricant boron nitride is as hard as diamond. It behaves like an electrical insulator, but conducts heat like a metal. It also has lubricating properties similar to graphite Rocket Fuels the hydrides are sometimes used as rocket fuels amorphous boron is used in pyrotechnic flares (distinctive green colour), and rockets (as an igniter)

Aerospace
Aerospace boron filaments, a high-strength, lightweight material, are used for advanced aerospace structures, . lightweight compounds used for aerospace structures
Fiberoptic boron filaments used in fibre optics research

Fiberoptic
Boron filaments used in fibre optics research

Other Uses
Glass, Magnets Automobile airbags Photography Adhesives Insect Poison

Boric Acid is also used in North America for the control of cockroaches, silverfish, ants, fleas, and other insects.

Products of Turkey
Eti Mine

Boron Products
Bigadi Colemanite Ground Colemanite Kestelek Colemanite Hisarck Colemanite Espey Colemanite Tincal Ulexite Borax DH Borax PH ETBOR-48 ETBOR-68 Boric Acid Sodium Perborate

National Research Institute of Boron

Foundation
BOREN (National Research Institute of Boron) is founded with the aim of

Providing necessary scientific environment in order to

widespread usage boron products and technologies, development and increase production of boron products

Providing support, and coordinating any commercial or governmental organizations researchs.

Institute is related organization of Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

Boron Uses in Turkish

Current Uses
Glass and Glass Fiber Sector Seramik Sektr Detergent sector Iron - Steel Industry

Near Future Uses

Agriculture Wood Emprenye Works Isolation purposed construction material Chimney and building isolation Textile and paper industries

Kaynaklar
National Boron Research Institute www.boren.gov.tr University of Denver www.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/boron.htm Eti Mine Works www.etimaden.gov.tr

Thanks for your interest