Boron

Boron is a naturally occurring element that is found in the form of borates in the sedimentary rocks, coal, shale, and some soils. Its atomic number is 5 and its chemical symbol is B. Placed next to carbon on the Periodic Table of Elements, boron is a metalloid substance with both metallic and non-metallic properties.

Boron does not occur in its elemental state on earth, but various borate minerals are found in natural deposits worldwide. About 73 % of the world's boron deposits are in Turkey. The rest of the deposits are located in USA, South America and Russia.

Boron is used mainly not as the element boron, but as compound of boric oxide (B2O3). Boron minerals contain different amounts of B2O3 in their structures. 

Boron compounds are used in many areas such as glass industry, agriculture, ceramics, chemicals, detergents, metallurgy, nano-technologies, automotive, electronics, communications, space and aircraft vehicles, nuclear applications, military vehicles, fuels, construction. Boron is either consumed in the form of refined boron products, or directly as concentrated boron products.

Boron minerals commonly found in Turkey are tincal, colemanite and ulexite. These minerals are primarily enriched by subjecting to physical processes to obtain concentrated boron products, and then converted into various refined boron products by chemical processes.
 
Turkey produces full range of boron products such as colemanite, ulexite, tincal (not commercially sold), borax pentahydrate, borax decahydrate, boric acid, anhydrous borax, dot, boroxide, zinc borate, etc.