Processes for the rapid and efficient drying of boron-containing
compounds, in particular boron-containing minerals and ores, are
described, as well as the products which result from such processes. The
process comprises the steps of providing a boron-containing material;
introducing the boron-containing material into a pre-heated furnace;
heating the boron-containing material in the furnace at a temperature
between about 800.degree. F. and 1000.degree. F.; retaining the
boron-containing material within the furnace for a time ranging from
about 5 minutes to about 120 minutes; and removing the boron-containing
material from the furnace and allowing it to cool to ambient temperature.
Optionally, the process may also comprise one or more steps of grinding
and/or sizing the boron-containing material to a specific particle size
prior to the introduction of the material to a furnace. The
boron-containing compounds that can be processed in this manner include
both naturally-occurring and/or synthetic boron-containing materials, in
particular boron-containing minerals and ores such as colemanite,
ulexite, probertite, kernite, and mixtures thereof.