US Borax Plans for Expansion of Boric Acid Plant in California

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). US Borax Incorporated (Valencia, California), a subsidiary of Rio Tinto PLC (LSE:RIO.L) (London, England), plans to continue expanding its Boron, California, plant. US Borax is currently underway with phase I construction of its plant expansion, that is tentatively scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2005. This initial phase will increase the dry end section of the plant from 260,000 metric tons per year of boric acid capacity to 360,000 tons per year.

Phase II will focus on the wet end process of the boric acid plant to increase its capacity at an undertermined rate. Phase II is estimated to cost more than $25 million. Jacobs Engineering Group Incorporated of Cypress, California, has been selected to provide detailed engineering. US Borax is working toward approvals, with the hope of moving forward early next year. Construction is slated to begin early in the third quarter of 2005.

US Borax is the world's leading supplier of refined borates and the world’s largest supplier of boric acid. Global demand continues to grow for boric acid, partially because manufacturers of reinforced fiberglass and ceramic products are continuing to convert from mineral feedstock to refined boric acid. The company is environmentally conscious in producing its products and supplies half the global market with borates, a key ingredient in detergents, fiberglass, ceramics, fertilizers, and wood preservatives.

See related article: US Borax Plans for Expansion of Boric Acid Plant in California.