Ground Ulexite - Turkey

Brief Overview
Ulexite is hydrated sodium calcium borate hydroxide represented as NaCaB5O6(OH)6·5H2O. It is predominately found in California and Nevada in the US, in Chile and Kazaksthan. It is often referred to as TV rock, for its silky white rounded crystalline appearance. Ulexite is also found in a vein-like bedding habit composed of closely packed fibrous crystals. Ulexite crystals contain three structural groups, isolated pentaborate polyanions, calcium coordinated polyhedra, and sodium coordinated octahedra that are joined together and cross-linked by hydrogen bonding.
Mining Process
1. Drilling – The most important of any exploration is drilling, as it is the best way to sample the type and purity of the ore underneath.
2. Shovelling and hauling – Once the underground is loose, enormous shovels are used to scoop the rubbles from the bottom of the mine. The ore is taken from underground, crushed and then sent for refining.
3. Refining – Dissolving, settling, crystallising, filtering, drying and conveying are the steps used for refining boron minerals.
4. Testing and storage – The final stage is to test the refined mineral ore for quality and store for future use.