A new process for upgrading boron content and recovery of borax concentrate

KIrka borax deposit is the biggest boron deposit in the world. The extracted ores from this deposit have been beneficiated using stirring scrubbing and classification methods and borax concentrates have been obtained with 32-33% B₂O₃ content. In this study, a new process was developed to improve boron content. Two staged scrubbing (tumbling + stirring scrubbing) was applied as new method. The laboratory results using the method currently applied in the plant were compared with those of the new process. The content of the borax concentrate was increased from 32-33% to 34.53% B ₂O₃ with new method.