1 7 7b 01 Q w CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY £N.GINEERii -■ ' Vf-l! k t TN 917.G78T9,"9"''«'^"V Library IMPERIAL MINERAL RESOURCES BUREAU. Tin: Ml^l:I^\L indisthy of THi: BRITISH EMPIRi: AMI fori: Hi \ COIJNTRIKS. WAR PERIOD. BORATES. (liM.S-l!ii;».) LUNDON fKlXnC.!' AMI PLFBLl-riK.> BT HIS MAJK.-<1 V 1 .- lA HON ^ U V OKFIOK. T) b« i-nrx-h\" ^1 tviiatMh iiav liook*-*ll; -K KimMWAt. i N .N W.U* .Ukl 11 .M ». \ 1>-UL. IS .- 1 KSta. lOMDOS. -. .V i . .17. IHEU -luv.K. . Uanchr^kb; ortiotB h. i-oNsj;ci^\, Lux, 116, j»Lknv> sruKKt, Uli^uji 1930. Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924004697359 IMPERIAL MINERAL RESOURCES BUREAU. THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES. WAR PERIOD. BORATES. (1913-1919.) LONDON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTTS dTATIONEaT OFFICE. To be Durohased through any Bookseller or directly from HM. STATIONERY otFIofe at the foUowiM addresses : IMPERIAL HOUSE, KlNQSWASf, LONDON, vf.OJi, and 28 ABINGDON SIREEI, LONDON, b.W.lJ 37* PETER STREET. ALANCHESrER ; 1. ST ANDREW'S ORESCENT, GARDIFff; 3t Forth Sireei, Edinburoh; orlrom B. PONSONBY, LTD.. U6, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN 1920. Price M. Net. ^'' ^'^'T: ^mPe&ifiL i:AjST/rVTE . LoajI^a/, TV 9/7 (^78 l9ij PEEFACE. The following digest of statistical and technical information relative to the production and consumption of borates, will con- stitute a part of the Annual Volume on the Mineral Resources of the British Empire and Foreign Countries. In this, the first year of publication, an effort has been made to fill in, as far as possible, the hiatus due to the war in the publications relating to mining and metallurgical statistics. Labour, health, and safety statistics have been omitted owing to the difficulty involved in procuring reliable information for the war period, but in future issues these statistics will be in- cluded in respect of each year. Resort will also be had, to a much greater extent than at present, to graphical representation of statistics of production, consumption, costs and prices. R. A. S. REDMAYNE, Chairman of the Governors. 2, Queen Anne's Gate Buildings, London, S.W. 1. June, 1920. (287B0) Wt. 6813-42/761 1,000 8/20 H.St. G.2. CONTENTS. Page GENERAL 5 WORLD'S PRODUCTION 6 BRITISH EMPIRE : United Kingdom ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ••• ^ Union of South Africa and Rhodesia ... ... ... ... ••• 10 Canada ... ... ... ... ... ... ••• 12 India 14 Australia 15 FOREIGN COUNTRIES : Germany ... ... 16 Italy 16 Turkey 18 Argentina ... ... ... ... ... ... 18 Chile, Peru, and Bolivia ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19 United States 21 REFERENCES TO TECHNICAL LITERATURE 23 GENERAL The natural borate.^ of commercial importance include (1) borax (hydrated sodium borate) ; ('2) ulexite (hydrated borate of sodium and calcium) ; (3) colemanite (hydrated calcium borate) ; and (4) boracite* (borate and chloride of magnesium). SassoUte or native boric acid occurs chiefly in solution. The following analyses show the composition of the more important commercial borates : — Colemanite. (California). Ulexite. (Chile & Peru). " Boracite. " (Asia Minor). Boric acid Lime ... Magnesia Iron and alumina Soda Sodium chloride Carbon dioxide Sulphur trioxide Water and organic matter Insoluble matter 40-19 31-89 1-50 0-62 8-53 0-26 5-83 11-18 44-38 16-14 •91 -48 6-50 7-46 3-35 16-25 4-71 45-89 30-62 0-53 0-98 1-25 17-09 3-C4 100-00 100-18 100-00 Borax is a valuable flux for chemical and metallurgical purposes. It is used in the manufacture of pottery-glazes and enamels, and as a glaze for paper and linen. It is also used in tanning and glue manufacture. Its property of adhering closely to clean surfaces of metal under high temperature and preventing oxidation causes it to be largely employed in brazing and as a flux in brass manufacture. It is also used in the manufacture of soap and glass, and in numerous other ways. As an antiseptic it is used as medicine, and as a food preservative. Borate of chromium is used as a pigment in calico printing, and borates of manganese and lead as drying agents in the paint trade. The perborates of sodium and calcium are used to generate pure hydrogen peroxide- Boron and its compounds find a use in the copper industry. They act as scouring agents in molten copper, and copper castings of high electrical conductivity and dense quahty are obtained by tht^ir use. Boron is also used in the manufacture of aluminium bronzes of great strength, in hardening and strengthening aluminium ca,stings, and in the manufacture of nickel castings. Experiments conducted in France during the war showed that ' See footnote on p. 9. -.'HTfiO A 2 by its use remarkably strong and tough steels were produced, but the results were not followed up as they should have been owing to the war, the pressure of work on all steel manufacturers, and on account -of the difficulty in obtaining ferroboron. Another use of boron is as a voltage regulator in incandescent lamps, arc lamps, and other devices on series circuits. Borates are consumed almost wholly in the form of borax anS boric acid,; and of these two compounds borax is produced in larger quantities than boric acid. Boric or boracic acid is usually prepared by treating ground- borates with sulphuric acid. The borax of commerce is obtaiiied chiefly from the mineral borates of lime by treating them with alkalies. World's Production of Borates.* (In metric tons.t) 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. Italy (crude boric acid) Argentine Republic (exports of calcium borate) Chile (calcium borate) Peru (borates) United States (crude borates) 2,410 933 50,225 2,001 52,678 2,537 613 31,907 1,263 56,624 2,497 192 14,869 510 60,801 2,293 12,565 1,289 93,943 2,335 800 98,798 2,210 523 80,575 BEITISH EMPIRE. No part of the British Empire produces borates at the present time, but large imports are recorded for the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and South Africa. United Kingdom.! Great Britain, prior to the war, imported the largest quantity of borax from France, but during the past few years it has been imported in increasing amounts from the United States. Boracite ' ' (Turkish pandermite) in pre-war times used to come • Not including Turkey, the pre-war output of which exceeded 10,000 tons of borates annually. t The metric, long and short ton referred to in this publication are eauiva- lent to 2,204, 2,240 and 2,000 lb. respectively. • J Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom. from Asiatic Turkey almost entirely, but the United States have made several large delivehes since 1914. The crude material is imported chiefly from Chile, Peru and Argentina. Imports of Borate of Lime to the United Kin^gdotn. From • Quantity (cwts.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. United States Argentine Re- public Chile Peru Other Foreign Countries 23,739 3,617 332,441 2,400 17,103 6,115 256,939 1,368 18 71,486 2,890 309,371 5,400 111,070 198,981 31,845 55,742 165,911 11,300 19,852 11,918 121,974 8,780 48,509 21,754 168,878 7,860 Total ... 362,197 281,533 389,147 341,896 232,953 162,624 247,001 Value (£). United States Argentine Re- public Chile Peru Other Foreign Countries 10,908 1,385 134,934 960 8,030 2,390 106,920 624 5 37,124 1,236 140,432 2,430 76,374 128,716 21,393 62,160 185,890 13,278 37,704 14 259 149,'701 10,317 52,170 21,775 184,441 9,075 Total ... 148,187 117,969 181,222 226,483 261,328 211,981 267,461 Exports of Borate of Lime from the Uuitrd Kingdom {Foreign Produce). Year. 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 [1918 1919 (2H7.-.(l) Quantity Value cwts. £ 1,900 900 9,405 4,257 2,840 2,889 414 500 — ■ — 2.000 2.350 8 Imports of Borax to the United Kingdom. From Quantity (cwts.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. France Germany United States Other Foreign Ooun- tries 14,654 1,803 3 480 12,323 1,179 25,232 10,059 8,017 50 16,526 20,963 2,757 13,728 33,972 Total 16,940 13,502 25,232 18,126 37,489 16,485 34,012* Value (£). France Germany United States Other Foreign Coun- tries 12,934 1,609 6 480 11,238 839 27,680 14,802 10,776 59 27,243 34,015 5,094 31,410 67,835 Total 15,029 12,077 27,680 25,637 61,258 36,504 67,920* Exports of Borax from the United Kingdom (Foreign Produce). To Quantity (cwts.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. Russia- Japan Other Foreign Countries ... 223 E 100 500 1,240 1,393 2,727 801 615 11,246 Total to Foreign Countries 223 — 600 5,360 801 615 11,246 Total to British Possessions — — 11 411 — 200 170 Total 223 — 611 5,771 801 815 11,416 Value (£). Bussia Japan Other Foreign Countries ... 201 — 115 509 1,830 2,060 3,539 1,322 1,792 1,792 23,047 Total to Foreign Countries 201 — 624 7,429 1,322 23,047 Total to British Possessions — — 12 520 — 820 448 Total 201 — 636 7,949 1,322 2,612 23,495 • Including 40 cwts. valued at £85 from British Possessions, Imports of " Boracite "t to the United Kingdom. From Quantity (cwts.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. Turkey, European ... United States Turkey, Asiatic ... Other Foreign Coun- tries 82,666 7,120 6,000 2,991 99,111 — 11,000 — 6,546 25,213 19,600 Total 89,786 108,102 — 11,000 — 6,546 44,813 • Value (£). Turkey, European ... United States Turkey, Asiatic Other Foreign Coun- tries 36,453 3,290 3,000 1,450 43,068 — 11,275 ~"* 6,800 32,188 19,600 39,743 47,518 — 11,275 — 6,800 51,788 Exports of " Boracite " {Foreign Produce) from the United Kingdom. To Quantity (cwts.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. •1919 France Other Foreign Countries - 10,800 1,600 9,368 — — — Total — 12,400 9,368 — — — ~ - Value (£). France Other Foreign Countries — 4,860 710 4,028 — — — — Total — 5,570 4,028 _ 1 _ i — ■f- " Boracite " is the name applied in the mineral trade to Turkish pander- mite, and appears to be used in this sense in the " Annual Statement of Trade of the United Kingdom." 10 Union of South Africa and Rhodesia. =^ The imports of borax into the Union of South Africa have fluctuated very considerably during tlie past few years. By far the largest proportion is imported from the United Kingdom, though recently increased supplies have been obtained from the United States.' The eicports go chiefly to the South-West African Protectorate, the inlands of Mauritius and St. 'Helena, and to Portuguese East Africa. Fairly large anlounts of bqrax are exported to Southern Ehodesia from Great Britain. Exports from Southern Ehodesia; are small and are confined to the Union of South Africa, Northern Ehodesia, the Belgian Congo and Portuguese East Africa. i Imports of Borux to the Union of South Africa. Prom. Quantity (lb.). 1913. 1914. 1915. "l916. 1917. 1918. 1919. United Kingdom... Canada . France Germany ... Holland Italy United States Argentine Republic Japan i 823,004 2,846 280 1,232 448 765,919 13,784 448 448 870,415 112 112 112 1,031,343 168 20 2,784 420,838 224 200 560 4,912 526,376 220 133,118 6,532 2,800 - Total ... 827,810 780,599 870,751 1,034,315 426,734 669,046 Value (£) United Kingdom... Canada France Germany ... Holland Italy United States Argentine Republic Japan 12,570 45 6 11 3 12,333 165 3 3 16,631 1 2 1 24,675 5 1 91 11,769 4 10 15 113 16,204 8 4,173 • 219 ' 152 Total 12,635 12,504 16,635 24,772 11,911 20,756 * Annual Statement of the Trade and Shipping of the Union of South Africa and of Southern and Northern Rhodesia. 11 Exports of Borax frmu the Union of South Africa (Foreign Produce). • Quantity (lb.). To. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. Mauritius _^ _ _ _ 1,200 St. Helena 9 South-West - Africa Protectorate 56 453 1,037 694 Belgian Congo — — 56 — - 642 224 Madagascar — — — — 2 — Portuguese East Africa „ — 11,200 -p. 1,672 1,082 2,810 Portuguese West Africa — — — — — 336 Total — 11,200 112 2,125 2,763 5,273 Value (£). Mauritius 20 St. Helena 1 South-West Africa Protectorate — 1 19 41 30 Belgian Congo — — 1 — 2.T 9 Madagascar — — — — — — Portuguese East Africa — 239 26 34 119 fortuguese West Africa — — — — — 17 TOTAI — 239 2 45 100 196 Imports of Borax to Soutlicrn Rhodesia. From Quantity (lb.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916." 1917. 1918. 1919. United Kingdom Germany United States ... South African produce 58,630 125,643 224 5,000 134,101 5,000 150,865 86,431 H7,284 * 14 Total 58,630 130,867 139,101 150,865 86,431 87,298 Value (.£). United Kingdom Germany United States ... South African produce •J'J8 •2X>S 1 116 2,773 108 3,711 2,.-)7u 3,102 1 Total 998 2,470 2,881 3,711 2„57.T 3,103 12 Exports of Borax (Foreign Produce) from Southern Rhodesia. To. Quantity (lbs.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. Union of South Africa Northern Rhodesia Belgian Congo Portugnese East Africa 224 224 112 140 112 15 267 448 9 280 112 112 121 14 177 127 Total 224 476 394 737 359 304 Value (£). Union of South Africa Northern Bhodesia Belgian Congo Portuguese East Africa 6 2 1 5 1 1 8 8 12 2 2 4 1 10 9 Total 6 8 10 20 9 19 Canada.'^ Canada produces no borates. At the outset of the period under review she imported large quantities of boric acid and borax from the United Kingdom. As shown by the following tables, how- ever, these imports from the United Kingdom fell seriously during the war and the imports from the United States increased largely. Imports of Boric Acid to Canada for Fiscal Years ending March 31. From Quantity (lb.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. United Kingdom ... 381,544 261,105 107,663 62,246 22,764 42,682 France Germany United States 8,900 700 22,306 13,840 78,928 38,147 6,720 272,355 298,263 390,644 343,444 Total of Foreign Countries 31,906 130,915 279,075 298,253 360,499 390,644 343,444 Total 413,450 392,020 386,738 413,408 386,126 * Annual Statement of the Trade and Commerce of Canada. 13 Value ($, ). From 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. United Kingdom ... 18,793 15,916 7,653 4,570 2,411 5,491 France Germany United States 716 52 1,732 1,198 5,133 2,699 459 17,866 28,327 47,284 43,468 Total of Foreign Countries 2,500 9,030 18,325 28,327 47,284 43,468 Total 21,293 24,946 25,978 32.897 49,695 48,959 Imports of Borax, in Bulk of not less than 25 pounds, to Canada for Fiscal Years ending March 31. From Quantity (lb.). 1912-13. 1913-14. 1914-15. 1915-16. 1916-17. 1917-18. 1918-19. United Kingdom ... Hong Kong 2,537,334 2,239,431 992,603 365,681 359,937 105,395 40 Total of British tlmpire 2,r)37,3:i4 ■2,2311,431 ! i 992,603! 365,681 3r)9,937 105,435 France Germany United States 6,1183 540,K00 3,010 3,1120 412,235 2,240 2,041,498 2,712,3593,774,281 4,164,749 Total of Foreign Countries 547,783 419,165 i : 2,043,738 2,712.351t 3.774,281 4,164,741t Total 3,085,117 2,658,596 3,036,341 '3,078,041 1 4, 1 34,2 1 h 1 4,27(1,184 Value (.■<). United Kingdom ... Hong Kong 94,991 85,930 38,165 19,746 28,029 10,483 3 Total of British Empire 94,991 85,930 38,165 19,746 28,029 10,486 France Germany United States 277 17,486 148 — 156 92 15,567| 87,811 153,790 269,097 327,123 Total of Foreign Countries 17,7r)3 ! 15,871 87,903 163,795 269,097 327,123 Total 112,754 101,801 120,068 173,541 297,126 337,6011 14 India and Tibet.* The borax or tincal deposits-oeeurring in -Tibet were probably the first borates ever utiHzed. About 220 tons are exported annually from India, and this, which is; practically all obtained from Tibet and Ladakh, is imported across the frontier into the Punjab and United Provinces. Herds of sheep and goats may be met in the Himalayan passes coining down from Tibet in the spring, each carrying two small bags of borax or ^alt to be bartered for Indian and foreign stores. Until the extensive discoveries of calcium borate in America about 25 years ago, there was a very much greater demand for the borax of Tibet, but now the only large customers are China and the Sti-aits Settlements. The trans-frontier imports of borax in recent years have been about 2-5,000 cwt. annually. The internal consumption in India has increased to some extent, and the export trade has declined.. The material exported from Tibet is obtained from salt lakes which have possibly obtained their borax from volcanic sources. The borax obtained from the Puga Valley of Ladakh, Kashmir, is deposited from hot springs associated with sulphur deposits, which are regarded as evidence of waning volcanic action. Imports of Borax (including Boric Acid) by Sea to India for Fiscal Years ending March 31. From. Quantity (cwta.). 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. United Kingdom ... Hong Kong Other British Posses- sions 6,598 4,825 5,800 8,250 5 7,225 9,087 70 37 Total of British Empire 6,598 4,825 5,800 8,255 7,225 9,194 France Germany ... Other Foreign Coun- tries 90 429 1 499 2 20 — 184 Total of Foreign Countries 90 430^ 501 20 — 184 Total 6,688 5,255 6,301 8,275 7,225 9,378 * Annual Statement of the Sea-borne Trade of British India. 15 v'-'- ,'■:'.;■• ' ■ Value (£). From 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1 United Kingdom ...' Song Kong Other British Posses- Bions 6,048 5,112 6,405 11,852 7 13,647 20,307 209 75 '• Total of British Empire 6,048 5,112 6,405 11,859 13,647 20,591 ' France tJermany Other Foreign Coun- tries 95 1 445 2 500 2 21 — 567 -- Total of Foreign Countries 96 447 502 21 — .')67 Total 6,144 5,559 6,907 11,880 13,647 21,158 Exports of Borax by Sea* from India, for Fiscal Years ending March 31. Year. Quantity. Cwts.' Value £ 1912-13 4,770 7,457 1913-14 4,270 5,131 1914-15 4,461 6,191 1915-16 6,252 10,010 1916-17 7,353 14,102 1917-18 2,873 5,875 1918-19 4,939 Australia, f 10,634 Australia imports its supplies of boric acid and borax chieflj' from the United Kingdom. * In addition to the burax sent by sea to foreign countries, small quantities cross the frontier into Nepal, Kashmir, Khelat, Afghanistan, Tibet, and China During the six years, 1908-9 to 1918-4, these trans-frontier exports of borax -have averaged 9 cwts. a year, with an average value of Rs. 188 (24s.) per cwt. f Trade and Customs and Excise Revenue of the Commonwealth of Australia (Annual). 16 Imports of Boric Acid to Australia for Fiscal Years ending June 30. From. • Quantity (cwts.). 1914-15. 1915-16. 1916-17. 1917-18. 1918-19. United Kingdom Canada New Zealand Other British Countries United States 6,746 4 14 5,349 27 1 5,980 1 10 6,350 97 51 609 Total 6,764 5,377 5,991 7,107 Value (£). United Kingdom Canada New Zealand Other British Countries United States 10,825 8 27 10,879 61 1 17,540 4 36 .22,505 335 182 2,404 Total 10,860 10,931 17,580 25,426 FOEEIG-N COUNTEIES. Germany. Boracite occurs as crystals, concretions, and granular masses associated with potash minerals in salt deposits of Permian age at Stassfurt in Germany. Eock salt, which is found almost through- out the section, contains disseminated borates, but the carnallite zone, measuring 30 to 40 metres in thickness, yields most of the crude boracite. There are no figures available as regards production or value since 1912. Italy.* Sassolite or crystallized boric acid is obtained in considerable quantities from gaseous emanations which come to the surface through innumerable fissures or dislocations in the Eocene and Cretaceous rocks of Central Italy. These fumarole deposits occur chiefly in the province of Pisa in the parishes of Pomarance, Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina, Massa Marittima, and Montieri. There are a number of " blowers " (soffione) of steam and other gases in this vicinity, and where they occur a pit is dug around and water run in. The hot steam and gases make the water boil up, leaving a little boric acid in solution. The escaping gases are steam, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, with * Rivista del Servizio Minerario (Annual.) 17 a little oxygen and sulphuretted hydrogen. The very weak boracic solution is concentrated by the heat which is derived from the soffione. The output, as is shown in the following tables, has remained fairly constant throughout the period, but the value of the crude boracic acid has increased by about 365 per cent. Production of Crude Boric Acid in Italy. Year. 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Quantity. Metric tons. 2,410 2,537 2,497 2,293 2,335 2,210 Value. £.* 37,596 41,607 54,934 89,886 121,420 114,920 Production of Refined Boric Acid and Borax in Italy. Refined Boric Acid. Borax. Year. Quantity. Metric Tons. Value. £.• Quantity. Metric Tons. Value. £.• 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 748 889 1,277 1,114 16,853 19,453 43,411 1,071 1,164 829 554 17,561 20.493 23,201 Imports of Crude and Refined Boric Acid and Borax to Italy. Boric Acid, Crude and Refined. Borax. Year. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Metric Tons. £.• Metric Tons. £.' 1918 21 685 138 2,489 1914 8 98 277 5,540 1915 •3 10 718 14,362 1916 1 104 988 49,165 1917 — — 632 44,240 1918 — — 350 24,528 1919 Value converted to £ sterling at the rate of 25 lire = £1. 18 Exports of Crude and Refl ned Boric Acid and Borax from Italy.. Crude Boric Acid. Refined Boric Acid. Borax. Year. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Metric tons. £.* Metric tons. £.» Metric tons. £.* 1913 772 16,047 571 15,988 30 542 1914 669 16,063 521 16,672 4 88 1915 367 8,818 1,185 37,923 149 2,986 1916 274 15,361 1,293 95,689 530 26,480 1917 108 10,387 1,000 110,066 4 294 1918 125 11,990 1,208 132,902 2 147 1919 Turkey. Borates have been known in Asia Minor since ancient times in the vilayet of Brusa at Sultan-Chair near Pandemia, whence the local name " pandermite " is derived. Though harder, pan- dermite is closely allied to colemanite, which is a hydrated borate- of calcium. It contains a higher percentage (56 per cent.) of boric acid than any other borate except boracite. The potters formerly established along the coast used borates for glazing large earthenware pots, which they decorated in striking colours and sent to Constantinople for sale. The modern exploitation begaa about the year 1899, when nuraerous old galleries were dis- covered, leading to the belief that the borate had been worked by the Genoese, but the Dardanelles potters used the borax years before the advent of the Genoese. Sultan-Chair, which is the mining centre, hes between the Manissa-Sona-Panderma branch of the Smyrna-Cassaba railway, 37 miles south-west of Panderma and 51 miles south-west of Brusa. The basin of Sultan-Chair lies among hills of schist and granite of early geological age. Sedimentary deposits of later age, chiefly gypsum, have accumulated to a great depth. Volcanic upheaval during the period of the gypsum formation no doubt caused the trachyte outflow which is found to the north of the basin, at the same time giving rise to the fumaroles of boric acid. Pandermite is hand-sorted and sifted before exportation. Argentina. ! Deposits of borates are found in Los Andes and the immediately adjacent portions of Jujuy, Salta, and Catamarca in large salt lakes and salares. The borate usually occurs mixed with calcium and sodium sulphate, sodium and magnesium chloride, oxide of iron, and more or less sand: and clay. It is found partly as layers • Value converted to £ sterling at the rate of 25 lire = £1. f Estadistica Minera de la Bepdblica (Annual). 19 of massive material and partly as pebbles and concretions, the latter form being tbe richer in boric acid. The deposits are much th« same as those found in Chile and Peru, and have originated presumably from the deposit around the outlets of thermal waters being carried down into the salares by rains. The Tres Morros, which is the most actively worked deposit in Argentina, consists of a layer of concretions 80 to 100 cm. thick, containijig about 37 per cent, of boric anhydride. Most of the borate deposits are under the control of the International Borax Company, but as these deposits are not readily accessible, they are not being veiry actively developed at the present time. About 650 tons is produced annually for export purposes, and about the same amount for home consumption. Exports oj Calcium Borate from the Argentine Republic. Year. 1913 1914 1915 1916 .1917 1918 1919 Quantity. Metric tons. Contents of B,03 ^letric tons. 933 330 613 225 192 79 86 34 Chile, Peru and Bolivia. Borates occur in the form of ulexite throughout the desert regions of Atacama. At Ascotan, on the borders of the Republic, and Maricunga, to the north of Copiapo, the operations are proving successful. The deposits are extensive, and are found in desiccated lakes known as salares. These salares are extensively scattered over the arid portions of northern Chile, and, though probably all contain some borate, only a small proportion contain sufficient to render them workable. The richest salares are those of the valleys of the High Andes in the vicinity of the recent volcanoes, many of which still have active fumaroles. The Salar de Ascotan is much the largest, and, connnected as it is with the coast by the Antofogasta-La Paz railway, it is the centre of practically all the borate mining of Chile. It is about 24 miles in length and 6 miles wide at the broadest part. In the sunshine the salar presents a dazzling appearance, for, excepting a small pool of water here and there, the entire area is covered with glistening white crystals of various salts. 20 On the eastern side there are several volcanoes with well- preserved craters, some of which have active fumaroles. The salar is situated at an altitude of 12,220 feet above sea level, and the adjoining volcanic mountains range from 18,000 to 19,600 feet. In parts the ulexite is found practically free from impurities, but elsewhere it is associated with sodium chloride, sodium sul- phate, and calcium sulphate. The thickness of the rich strata is usually not more than a foot, but considerably thicker beds have been reported. The prigin of the borate deposits of Chile and south-western Bolivia is to be found in the recent volcanoes which are so prominent in that district. The aridity of the climate is such that there is no drainage system, and the very small rainfall finds its way very quickly into the valleys, where the water evaporates and leaves its dissolved salts as a residue. Borates are found along the boundary between the departments of Arequipa and Moquega at Laguna de Salinas, about 12 miles east of Arequipa city. The lake is some eight miles in circumfer- ence and lies at an altitude of 18,000 to 20,000 feet. It is dry practically throughout the whole of the year, and the borates form an irregular layer, the upper crust consisting of chloride and sulphate of soda followed successively by fine sand, coarse sand, sand with borate layers, thin laj'^ers of sand^ and a 40 cm. to 1 m. layer of borates. The mineral is ulexite or boronatrocalcite. It contains 30 per cent, of boric acid in the crude state and 52 per cent, after being calcined. In the dry plains of Iquique it is found in the form of rounded masses varying from the size of a hazel nut to that of a potato and associated with pickeringite, glauberite, rock salt, and gypsum. The great difiiculty experienced in the development of these deposits is in the matter of transportation, all the produce having to be transported over the great mountain range to the coast. This western range of the Andes of South America, known as the Cordillera Occidental, and extending through Peru, Bolivia, Chile and into the Argentine, contains many lofty volcanoes recently extinct, from some of which sulphurous gases are still escaping. About the base of these mountains borax lakes are sufficiently numerous to supply the world for many centuries to come, but as yet few of them have been worked. Almost the whole of the deposits are at present owned and worked by a British Company, Borax ConsoHdated, and prior to the war this company was in negotiation with the Peruvian G-overnment with a view to building a railway to facilitate the transport and the development of this area. It was estimated that the project would cost £300,000, but it was abandoned at the out- break of war. It is anticipated that with the termination of war this scheme may be reconsidered, and it would doubtless open up many enterprises in this promising region of Peru. 21 Production of Calcium Borate in Chile. Year. 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Quantity. Metric Tons 50,225 31,907 14,869 12,565 Production oj Borates in Peru. Year. 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Quantity. Metric Tons. 2,001 1,263 510 1,289 800 523 United States.* Throughout the Great liasin region of the western United States, and in particular in the counties of Inyo, Kern and San Bernardino in California, and that portion of south-west Nevada adjoining Inyo County, there are numbers of lakes or marshes the waters of which are rich enough in borates and other sodium salts to repay extraction. In many cases the lakes have dried up, and the bed consists of mud, alkali, salt and borates mixed with sandy matter. The borates of these marsh deposits are all secondary, ^nd the borax contents are derived from beds of cole- manite in the Tertiary lake sediments of the surrounding hills. These beds extend to the Pacific coast at Piru, Ventmra County and near Saugus, Los Angeles County, where they form part of a series of yellow clays and sandstones, probably of Miocene age. The borates are present as nodules in the clay, and are covered by a stratum of gypsum. The borates are calcined at the mines and treated for the pur- pose of eliminating impurities such as pandermite, clay and water. The colemanite becomes dehydrated by calcination and yields Mineral Resources 9f the United States (Annual). a fine powder which is easily screened from the pandermite and clay. Borax is obtained from colemanite by treatment with sodium carbonate. Large undeveloped deposits of colemanite are known to exist, and, though the demand for borax and boric acid is considerable, there appears to be no doubt that the deposits are practically inexhaustible.' A new factor in the borax industry is provided by the saline deposits of the western desert region, which have recently come into prominence as possible sources of potash, carbonate of soda, common salt and other products, including borax. It seems not improbable that borates will eventually be obtained as by-products from these deposits. Production of Crude Borate in the United States. Year. 1913 1914 1916 1916 1917 1918 ]919 Quantity. Value. Short tons. 1 58,051 1,491,530 62,400 1,464,400 67,003 1,677,099 103,525 2,409,459 108,875 3,609,632 88,794 2,179,830 Imports of Borax and Borates for Consumption in the United States. Borates, calcium and Borax. sodium (crude) and Boric acid. refined sodium borate. Year. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. lb. $ lb. $ lb. $ 1913 ... 4,215 477 7,900 1,025 423,215 16,932 1914 ... 220 29 3,862 546 425,241 18,837 1915 ... — — 2,748 393 442,073 20,888 1916 ... 83 3 703 135 354,710 19,905 igiT" ... — — 614 109 404,210 24,590 1918 ... '2 1 10,000 50 259,096 26,430 1919 ... Fiscal year ending June 30. 23 HEFERENCES TO TECHNICAL LITERATURE. Borax, by J. W. Bockman, S. H. Dolbear and others; Min. Ind., 1913-1918. Borax, by C. G. Yale and H. S. Gale; U.S. Geol. Surv. Min. Res. U.S. (Annual). The mineral production of India; (Annual), in Rec. Geol. Surv. India. 1913. The origin of colemanite deposits, by H. S. Gale; U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper No. 85, 1913, 1-9. Borateras de Pedernalc*, por E. (' Lmcn ; Bol. Soc. Nac. Min. Chile, 1913, 25, 375-380. Technical applications of boron, by E. Weintraub; Min. Ind., 1913, 22. 65-67. Borax in metallurgy and tanning; Rev. gen. Chim., 1913, 16, 133. 1914. Salt, borax, and potash in Saline Valley, Invo County, Cal., by H. S. Gnle; U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. No. 540, 19i4, 416-421. Borate deposits in Ventura County, California, by H. S, Gale; U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. No. 540, 1914, 434-456. Undeveloped elements; boron, by E. Weintraub; Met. Chem. Eng., 1914, 12, 185-186. Abstr. Journ. Iron and Steel Inst., 1914, 89, 726. 1915. Los yacimientos minerales de la Puna de Atacama, por J. F. Barnab^; Anales Minist. Agricnltura, (Argentina), Seccion Geologia, 1915, 10, No. 5, 63pp. Salines in the Owens, Seniles, and Panamint basins. South-eastern Cali- forni'a, by H. S. Gale; U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. No. 580, 1915, 251-325. Boron steels, by C. Hannesen ; Zeit. anorg. Chom., 1914, 89, 257-278. Abstr. Journ. Soc. Chem. Ind., 1915, 34, 84. Mineral Resources of Jujuy province, Argentine Republic, by A. W, Jenks; Min. Sci. Pre.ss,' 1915, 110, 291-295. Iron and boron, by N. Tsehischewsky and A. Herdt; Rev. Soc. russe M6t., 1915, 1, 533-546. Re\-. de Met., 1917, 14, 21-26. AHstr. Journ. Soc. Chem. hid., 1917, 36. 650. Iron-boron-nickel alloys (boron-nickel steels), by N. Tsehischewsky and S. Mikhailovsk.y; Rev. Soc. ru^se Met., 1915,1, 547-559. Rev. de Met., 1917, 14. 16-21. Ailistr. Journ. Soc. Chem. Ind., 1917, 36, 650-651. The effect of boron upon the magnetic and other properties of electro- lytic iron melted in vacuo, by T. T>. Yenseii; Bull. Univ. Illinois, Eng. Expt. Stat., 1915. 77, 19pp. Abstr. Journ. Soc. Chem Ind.. 1916, 35, 256-257. Fabbriche di prodotti chimici e