Borates Handbook of Deposits, Processing, Properties, & Use

Rating:
Summary: You'll soften up to this one.
Review: After just the first few pages, I was pleasantly surprised. Liked the famous twenty mule team on the cover and inside.

Borate deposits have played significant roles throughout history. Since ancient times, people have used borates to make everything from glass to laundry detergent-- Egyptians used borax, the most famous of the borates, to mummify their dead-- and because these minerals have such a variety of uses, their availability often determined the fate of whole economies. Today, borates are essential in the production of an array of products, including boric acid, enamel, ceramics, Geiger counters, and high-tech superconductors. However, the processes of their formation and mineralogical extraction are not generallly known. The Borate Handbook addresses the need for a comprehensive handbook on this important industrial mineral. Dr. Garrett's unique chemical engineering background and flair for history have allowed him to integrate information about the major borate deposits in the world with a discussion of their socio-political impact throughout the ages. The scope and detail of the book is unequalled in the literature.