BORAX

1
BORAX

• The critical ingredient for making slime
• Assignment 8

2
WHAT IS IT?

• Borax is a white, solid, powder found in dried up
  lake beds in the desert.
• Its left as a residue from the evaporation of
  seasonal lakes.

3
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF BORAX

• Na2B4O710H2O or Na2B4O5(OH)48H2O

4
USES FOR BORAX

• Borax is used in
• Detergents
• Cosmetics
• Paints
• Welding
• Fire retardant
• Insecticide
• Food preservatives (caviar, Chinese noodles)

5
THE BORAX INDUSTRY

• The Harmony Borax Works Company started in 1883
  in Boron, CA. (near Death Valley).
• Today it is known as the Pacific Coast Borax Co.

• Borax wagon in 1935

6
HOW THEY GOT IT
7
OPEN-PIT MINING

• They leave huge holes that devastate the
  environment.
• Mining in the Parks Act of 1976 made open-pit
  mining illegal in national parks.

8
CONSEQUENCES OF MINING

• Mining ruins ground water and leaves toxins in
  the ground.
• If mining goes on for too long it can ruin the
  local environment.