Forget rare earths, boron is the critical mineral to trackhttps://www.mining.com/forget-rare-earths-boron-is-the-critical-mineral-to-track/
ausch says while there are maybe 100 active projects around the world developing lithium mines, for boron the number is only six, most in early stages and smaller in scale.
Frontrunner Ioneer and Sibanye-Stillwater’s lithium and boron Rhyolite Ridge project in Nevada is in the definitive feasibility stage with capacity for 174,000 tonnes of boron. Production can start as early as 2023, provided some buckwheat doesn’t get in the way.
Three projects are in Serbia: Rio’s stalled Jadar lithium project which includes output of 284,000 tonnes boric acid equivalent from a novel mineral, the Valjevo project being advanced by Euro Lithium + Borates and Erin Ventures’ Piskanja with 163,000 tonnes capacity.
Bacanora’s small scale El Cajon colemanite project in Mexico has not moved beyond its 2013 preliminary economic assessment.