Borate mineral

The borate minerals are minerals which contain a borate anion group. The borate (BO₃) units may be polymerised similar to the SiO₄ unit of the silicate mineral class. This results in B₂O₅, B₃O₆, B₂O₄ anions as well as more complex structures which include hydroxide or halogen anions.[1]

There are over 100 different borate minerals.[1][2] Borate minerals include:

• Kernite Na₂B₄O₆(OH)₃·3(H₂O)
• Borax Na₂B₄O₅(OH)₄·8(H₂O)
• Ulexite NaCaB₅O₆(OH)₆·5(H₂O)
• Colemanite CaB₃O₄(OH)₃·(H₂O)
• Boracite Mg₃B₇O₁₃Cl

Borates typically occur as evaporite minerals and most are readily soluble salts.

References

1. ^ a b Klein, Cornelis and Cornelius Hurlbut, Jr., Manual of Mineralogy, Wiley, 20th ed., 1985 pp. 343 - 347 ISBN 0-471-80580-7
2. ^ Webmineral.Com, Strunz group V/G - V/L

List of minerals