Brines and Chemicals

©2009 Dr. B. C. Paul

Acknowledgement is given to Industrial Minerals SME, Nevada-outback-gems.com, mindat.org, minerals information institute,

Boron Minerals

• Come from old evaporite deposits

• Used as a flux in metals and ceramics

• Important in making fiberglass insulation

• Used in Boro-Silicate Glass and in enamals

• In Soaps and Detergents

Boron Processing

• Most Boron mined by open pit• Ore is crushed and then dissolved

– Crystalized under a vaccuum and dried– Resulting Anyhydrous borax is then used for

boric acid

• Some minerals can be used directly in boric acid production

• Others can be used directly in making fiberglass

Borax

Na2[B4O7] · 10H2OS.G. 1.715 Hardness 2 - 2½ Color Colorless, grey, white, yellowish,seldom bluish or greenish; colorless intransmitted light. Fluorescence – not fluorescentBoron 11.3% B2O3 36.51%

Colemenite

Ca2B6O11·5(H2O)S.G. 2.42 Hardness 4.5Color Colorless, Gray, Gray white, Yellowish white,White.Fluorescence Not FluorescentBoron 15.78% B2O3 50.81%

Tincalconite

Na6[B4O5(OH)4]3·8(H2O)S.G. 1.88 Hardness 2Color WhiteFluorescence – not fluorescentBoron 15.16% B2O3 48.81%

Kernite

Na2B4O6(OH)2·3(H2O) S.G. 1.9 - 1.92, Average = 1.91 Hardness 2.5-3 Color Colorless, White. Fluorescence – NoneBoron 14.9% B2O3 47.97%

Ulexite

NaCaB5O6(OH)6·5(H2O)S.G. 1.95 - 1.96, Average = 1.95 Hardness 2.5  Color Colorless, White. Fluorescence NoneBoron 13.34% B2O3 42.95%

Chlorine

• Made by electrolysis of dissolved salt

• Chlorine needed in many petroleum based plastics and synthetics– Example Polyvinalchloride (PVC)

• Needed in Elastic products

• Used in water purification applications

• Used in fuel additives and solvents

Sources of Salt and Evaporite Deposits

From Evaporites By John K. Warren

Relationship of Temperature and Continental Position to Evaporite Deposits

From Evaporites By John K. Warren

HaliteNaCl S.G. 2.1 - 2.6 Hardness 2 - 2½ Color Colorless, white, red, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue, violet, gray

Sodium

• Sodium Hydroxide (caustic)– Byproduct of chlorine production– Needed to making Cellophane and Nylon– Key to paper making– Supplies generally constrained by chlorine production

• As an alkaline agent or for making– Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium cyanide, sodium nitrate,

sodium silicate may want to start with other minerals

Trona

Na3(CO3)(HCO3)·2(H2O)S.G. 2.11 - 2.17, Average = 2.13 Hardness 2.5 Color Colorless, Gray white, Grayish,Yellowish, Yellowish white. Fluorescence None

Mirabilite and Thenardite

Mirabilite Na2SO4·10(H2O) S.G. 1.49 Hardness 1.5-2 Color Colorless, White, Yellowish white,Greenish white.Fluorescence None

Thenardite Na2SO4S.G. 2.67 - 2.7, Average = 2.68 Hardness 2.5 Color White, Grayish white, Yellowish white, Reddish white,Brownish white. Fluorescence - Yes

Fluorine

• Key compound is Hydrofluoric acid– Made by reacting sulfuric acid with Flourspar

• Fluorocarbons are the basis of refrigerants– Chlorine removal to “protect” the ozone layer has

made us more dependent on fluorine• Synthetic chryolite used for aluminum making

comes from fluorine• Sodiumsilicofluoride is used to prevent tooth

decay• Fluorspar itself is a key flux in metal and ceramic

making

Fluorspar

CaF2 S.G. 3.175 - 3.56 Hardness 4Color Purple, lilac, golden-yellow, green,colorless, blue, pink, champagne, brown. Fluorescence – blueFluorine 48.67%

Potash

• Potassium a key nutrient in plant growth– One of 3 K, N, P

• Source from evaporite deposits• Brine sources are selectively precipitated to

bring down potassium salts separate from others• For solid sources the rock is ground and then

separated by using flotation or small density differences for heavy media– There is also an electric charging process that allows

the ore to be processed dry

Sylvite

KCl S.G. 1.99 Hardness 2.5Color White, Yellowish white, Reddish white, Bluish white, Brownish white. Fluorescence – NonePotassium 52.45%

Langbeinite

K2Mg2(SO4)3

S.G. 2.83 Hardness 3.5-4 Color Colorless, Violet, Greenish, Gray, Yellowish.Fluorescence – YesPotassium 18.84%

Sulfur

SS.G. 2.05 - 2.09, Average = 2.06 Hardness 1.5-2.5 Color Yellow, Yellowish brown, Yellowish gray, Reddish, Greenish.Fluorescence None

Witherite

BaCO3

S.G. 4.3 Hardness 3-3.5 Color Colorless, Milky white, Grayish white, Pale yellowish white, Pale brownish white.Fluorescence – Bluish-White Magnetic – No Barium 69.59%

Sanbornite

BaSi2O5

S.G. 3.74 Hardness 5 Color Colorless, White. Fluorescence - YesMagnetic – NoBarium 51.21%