The article reports on the increase in production of boron minerals and compounds in the U.S. in 2016 in comparision to the production in 2015 and mentions boron mineral producer Rio Tinto Borax extracted kernite and tincal by openpit methods. Topics discussed include use of Boron in abrasives, cleaning products and insecticides, production of borates in 2016 in the U.S. and Turkey, and expectation on increase in demand of boron-based fertilizers.