Natural Borates and Concentrates; Natural Boric Acid

Natural borates — including sodium borates, calcium borates, and natural boric acid with limited H₃BO₃ concentration — are essential raw materials for glass fiber, ceramics, agriculture, and flame retardant manufacturing. The US tariff schedule subdivides this heading into natural sodium borates and concentrates (2528000005, 2528001000), natural calcium borates (2528000010), and other natural borates and boric acid (2528000050, 2528009000), with the calcined versus non-calcined distinction carrying separate classification significance. Turkey is by far the dominant global supplier and the leading source for US imports, with Bolivia and Peru also among recorded sources. Buyers should monitor export policies from Turkey, which controls a large share of global borate reserves.