Borate Raw Materials for the Ceramic Frit Industry

The RTZ Borax Group is a global supplier of borates, and takes an integrated approach to mining, refining and distribution to customers world-wide. Borates have long been used as fluxes and glass formers. Now, one of the largest market for borates is for ceramic frits; this is particularly true in Europe, which is at the leading edge of frit technology. An overview of the Borax Group's operations, from mining to the distribution of products, is given. The role of boron in the glass structure and its importance in ceramic frits is explained. The borates sold to the ceramic frit industry (non-sodium containing products, namely, boric acid, hydroboracite, and colemanite) are outlined, and the reason why refined borates are the best products for the frit market is explained. Some of the experimental results that have been found when looking at dust emissions from the frit making process, their mechanisms, and what the emissions are composed of and how their levels can be reduced through a careful choice of raw materials, are also described. 4 refs.