State-of-the-art and tendency of the borate industry in Argentina

FLORES, H. R.; MATTENELLA, L. E; KWOK, L. H.; VALDÉZ, S. K.

Handbook on Borates: Chemistry, Production and Applications

Nova Science Publishing Inc.

Lugar: New York; Año: 2009;

This chapter presents a state-of-the-art of the borate industry in Argentina and the tendency towards diversification of the offer of the borate products in the market. Over 50% of the mining production in the Northwest of Argentina corresponds to borate products. Borate production ranks Argentina as the third world manufacturer. Commercial market price of borates depends on their technical-commercial specifications, which vary according to the industrial application of the borate and the consumer requirements (North American, European, Brazilian or Argentinean markets). Nowadays, Argentina produces boron mineral concentrates (tincal, ulexite, hydroboracite, colemanite) and base refined borates (borax and boric acid). The latter can be used as raw material for the production of high added value borates (HAVB), among them: sodium perborate, sodium pentaborate, sodium octoborate, zinc borates, ammonium borates, high purity boric acid and boric anhydride. Some HAVB, such as penta and octoborates, are being produced in the Northwest of Argentina since 1997. The diversification of the borate industry along with the vertical integration into the world borate market is among the strategies used for improving trade prices. In that way, five research projects performed at the Instituto de Beneficio de Minerales (INBEMI), which belongs to the National University of Salta, are carrying out technical economic analysis and experiments in pilot plant to produce HAVB. On the basis of the experience of the research group and the experimental equipment involved, the aim of the projects is to encourage mining producers and small company owners settled in the Northwest of Argentina to manufacture those special borates employing local raw material and technology available in the country, along with a moderate investment in equipment.