Skip to content

menu

Reed Smith LLP logo
HomeAboutOur ServicesSubscribeTopicsContact
Search
Close

EHS Law Insights

Comment and analysis by Reed Smith lawyers on the latest developments in Environmental Health & Safety

Boron: Increase in domestic production for important mineral on the horizon

By Eric Schmoll on 28 April 2022
Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn

Boron can be found in electric vehicles, vital military hardware, wind turbines, solar panels, satellites, and more. The mineral – already listed as a national strategic mineral – is important for the United States’ economy, climate strategy, and national security. However, the U.S. Geological Survey has yet to include boron on the list of “critical minerals,” which the Energy Act of 2020 defines as a non-fuel mineral or mineral material essential to the economic or national security of the U.S. and which has a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. The lack of critical mineral designation could hamper the domestic production of boron, but that may be changing soon as discussed below.

California’s Mojave Desert is believed to have the world’s largest known new boron deposit. A mine in the region, known as Fort Cady, has an estimated mineral resource of 120 plus million tons of the type of borate, colemanite, which accounts for 90% of the mineral used globally. Fort Cady also has a large source of lithium (see our earlier post on lithium’s potential), which is an important element for batteries and electric vehicles. Fort Cady further benefits from proximity to an interstate highway, railroad, deep-water port, high voltage power line, gas line, and approved water infrastructure.

An industry leader in boron sourcing and processing is set to begin mining at Fort Cady soon, with small scale mining operations set to begin by the end of this year and large scale production by 2025. However, mining boron deposits is very costly and time consuming. Listing boron on the list of critical minerals would help alleviate such issues by giving stakeholders access to extensive government funding, incentives, and partnerships.

The U.S. currently produces approximately 20% of boron globally. Turkey is the leader in mining boron while China processes and sources the majority of the mineral’s composite materials for military purposes. A complicated geopolitical situation – see the conflict in Ukraine – has threatened the supply chain of boron and other important minerals. Because of a threatened supply chain and dependence on foreign countries, the U.S. Department of Defense has recommended that the defense industrial base establish a second U.S. source of boron carbide, which makes the Mojave Desert a prime location.

As the mineral’s necessity increases, and supply chain threatened, stakeholders have begun lobbying Congress and the Biden administration to list boron as a critical mineral. Fort Cady has already received a critical infrastructure designation from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and stakeholders hope a new designation for boron itself is on the horizon.

Boron’s application to national security, the climate, and the economy is already known, and others interested in the mineral’s potential should closely track its “critical” listing status.

Posted in Environmental, Social & Governance
Tags: Boron, California, Critical Minerals, Electric vehicles, Lithium, Mining, National Security
Photo of Eric Schmoll Eric Schmoll
Read more about Eric Schmoll
Related Posts
RMP and PSM highly hazardous chemical regulations are back on the agenda
May 27, 2022
Scope 1 and 2 Emissions Attestation Requirements under SEC’s Proposed Climate Disclosure Rule
March 25, 2022
Lithium Mining Around the Salton Sea: The Case for a “Win-Win” Outcome for Energy and the Environment
March 25, 2022

Subscribe to EHS Law Insights

Updates direct to your inbox
Subscribe by Email

EHS Law Insights

View Our Network of Blogs
Published by
Reed Smith LLP logo
RSS Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube
Privacy PolicyDisclaimer

About Our Firm

Reed Smith represents many of the world’s leading companies in complex litigation and other high-stakes disputes, cross-border and other strategic transactions, and crucial regulatory matters. With lawyers from coast-to-coast in the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Reed Smith is known for its experience across a broad array of industry sectors.

Read More...

Topics

Archives

Copyright © 2023, Reed Smith LLP. All Rights Reserved.
Law blog design & platform by LexBlog LexBlog Logo