▁Bor on ▁min ing ▁and ▁ref ining ▁capac ities ▁are ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁ade qu ate ▁to ▁meet ▁expected ▁levels ▁of ▁growth ▁through ▁the ▁next ▁de cade . ▁ ▁The ▁form ▁in ▁which ▁bor on ▁is ▁consum ed ▁has ▁changed ▁in ▁recent ▁years . ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁or es ▁like ▁cole man ite ▁has ▁decl ined ▁following ▁concerns ▁over ▁ar sen ic ▁content . ▁Cons um ers ▁have ▁moved ▁toward ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁ref ined ▁bor ates ▁and ▁bor ic ▁acid ▁that ▁have ▁a ▁lower ▁poll ut ant ▁content . ▁ ▁In cre asing ▁demand ▁for ▁bor ic ▁acid ▁has ▁led ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁produ cers ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁additional ▁capacity . ▁Turkey ' s ▁state - owned ▁E ti ▁Mine ▁Works ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁bor ic ▁acid ▁plant ▁with ▁the ▁production ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁t onnes ▁per ▁year ▁at ▁E met ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Rio ▁T into ▁Group ▁increased ▁the ▁capacity ▁of ▁its ▁bor on ▁plant ▁from ▁ 2 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁t onnes ▁per ▁year ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁ 3 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁t onnes ▁per ▁year ▁by ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁with ▁plans ▁to ▁grow ▁this ▁to ▁ 3 6 6 , 0 0 0 ▁t onnes ▁per ▁year ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Chinese ▁bor on ▁produ cers ▁have ▁been ▁unable ▁to ▁meet ▁rapidly ▁growing ▁demand ▁for ▁high ▁quality ▁bor ates . ▁This