▁has ▁led ▁to ▁imports ▁of ▁sod ium ▁t etra bor ate ▁( bor ax ) ▁growing ▁by ▁a ▁hundred fold ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁bor ic ▁acid ▁imports ▁increasing ▁by ▁ 2 8 % ▁per ▁year ▁over ▁the ▁same ▁period . ▁ ▁The ▁rise ▁in ▁global ▁demand ▁has ▁been ▁driven ▁by ▁high ▁growth ▁rates ▁in ▁glass ▁fi ber , ▁fi berg lass ▁and ▁bor os il icate ▁glass ware ▁production . ▁A ▁rapid ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁rein for cement - grade ▁bor on - cont aining ▁fi berg lass ▁in ▁Asia , ▁has ▁offset ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁bor on - free ▁rein for cement - grade ▁fi berg lass ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁US . ▁The ▁recent ▁r ises ▁in ▁energy ▁prices ▁may ▁lead ▁to ▁greater ▁use ▁of ▁ins ulation - grade ▁fi berg lass , ▁with ▁consequ ent ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁bor on ▁consumption . ▁Ros kill ▁Cons ult ing ▁Group ▁forec asts ▁that ▁world ▁demand ▁for ▁bor on ▁will ▁grow ▁by ▁ 3 . 4 % ▁per ▁year ▁to ▁reach ▁ 2 1 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁The ▁highest ▁growth ▁in ▁demand ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁Asia ▁where ▁demand ▁could ▁rise ▁by ▁an ▁average ▁ 5 . 7 % ▁per ▁year . ▁ ▁App lications ▁ ▁Near ly ▁all ▁bor on ▁ore ▁extracted ▁from ▁the ▁Earth ▁is ▁dest ined ▁for ▁ref in ement ▁into ▁bor ic ▁acid ▁and ▁sod ium ▁t etra