Mining borates relies primarily on a combination of drilling, blasting and shovelling to collect ore, which is then hauled to massive crushing machines and, from there, to refinery centres.

Once the ore and overburden are loosened, enormous shovels scoop up the rubble from the bottom of the mine and dump it into haul trucks that can carry 220 tonnes each.

Ore from the mine must be crushed before it is refined. Powerful crusher machines reduce the ore to 2.5cm long pieces, increasing the ore's surface area to make the refining process more efficient. Ore is transported out of the mine and throughout the refinery via an extensive system of conveyors.

There are six primary steps to refine raw ore into refined borates. The bulk of this process was developed at the Boron Operations:

1.Dissolving – Crushed ore is mixed with hot liquor – a combination of borates and water. The borates dissolve in the water. Insoluble rocks, sand and other solids are removed using screens.

2.Settling – The saturated borate solution is pumped into large settling tanks called "thickeners". Because the rock and clay mixture is heavier, it settles to the bottom of the tank, leaving borates dissolved in water – or liquor – on top.

3.Crystallising – The liquor is transported to tanks called "crystallisers" to be cooled. The drop in temperature forces the borates to crystallise, forming a slurry of borate crystals and water.

4.Filtering – The slurry is poured over special fabric filters and washed to ensure purity. Water is drawn away by a vacuum beneath the filter.

5.Drying – Damp borate crystals are t ........