Rio Tinto Borax Mine
{{short description|Borax mine in California, USA}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
File:Rio Tinto Boron mine and plant.jpg
File:Rio Tinto Borax mine from ISS.jpg, 2013]]
File:Borax1 - Kramer Borate deposit, Boron, Kern Co, California, USA.jpg crystals, Boron Mine. Scale is one inch, ruled at one cm.]]
The Rio Tinto Boron Mine (formerly the U.S. Borax Boron Mine) {{coord|35|2|34.447|N|117|40|45.412|W|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-CA|name=Rio Tinto Borax Mine|display=title}} in Boron, California is California's largest open-pit mine and the largest borax mine in the world, producing nearly half the world's borates. Ore reserves are sufficient for current economic production through early 2040's. It is operated by the Borax division of the Rio Tinto Group.[http://www.borax.com/ Borax.com ] {{Cite web |url=http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/CA4982/ |title=The Center for Land Use Interpretation |access-date=2011-07-25 |archive-date=2006-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060115032334/http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/CA4982/ }}[http://www.riotinto.com/ourproducts/218_our_companies_4438.asp Rio Tinto] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120918084003/http://www.riotinto.com/ourproducts/218_our_companies_4438.asp |date=2012-09-18 }}
History
The borax deposit here was discovered in 1913, by John K. Suckow,{{cite news |title=Suckow Borax History Given|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=August 17, 1931 |page=12 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67177861/suckow-mine/ |access-date=January 8, 2021}} who when drilling for water found a deposit of what he believed to be gypsum. Further testing revealed it was the colemanite form of borax. Francis Marion "Borax" Smith bought the claim for his Pacific Coast Borax Company."Smith Said to Have a New Borax Find" San Francisco Chronicle October 24, 1913Hildebrand, GH. (1982) Borax Pioneer: Francis Marion Smith. San Diego: Howell-North Books. pp 89-90. {{ISBN|0-8310-7148-6}} Mining at the site by shafts began in the 1920s. Pacific Coast Borax later became U.S. Borax, which subsequently opened the current open-pit mine in 1957. U.S. Borax was later acquired by Rio Tinto Group, which continues to operate the mine.
A pilot project to produce lithium by sifting through mining waste began in 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-10-25/rio-tinto-producing-lithium-in-california-from-old-mining-waste|title=Rio Tinto starts producing lithium in California from old mining waste|last=Stringer|first=David|date=2019-10-25|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-27}}
Borax Visitor Center
The mine's Borax Visitor Center, which includes a museum, historic mining artifacts, and a mine overlook, is open to the public.[http://www.borax.com/visitorcenter/ Borax Visitor Center], official site[http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32098-d2578456-Reviews-Borax_Visitor_Center-Boron_California.html Borax Visitor Center] at Trip Advisor.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Mindat.org—[http://www.mindat.org/loc-3484.html Boron Mine, Kramer Borate Mining District (U.S. Borax open pit)] — history, geology, and minerals list/links.
- [http://www.borax.com/visitorcenter/ Borax Visitor Center]
- [http://www.placesearth.com/usa/california/kern/borax_visitor/borax_visitor_center1.shtml Placesearth.com: gallery of Borax Visitor Center photos]
{{Commonscat|position=left|Minerals of Boron}}
Category:Companies based in Kern County, California
Category:Geography of Kern County, California
Category:Mining museums in California
Category:Museums in Kern County, California