Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have suggested to include the development and utilization of boron iron resources in Dandong city, Liaoning province, as a national strategy, according to the Fengcheng Municipal Science and Technology Bureau.

The Dandong municipal government and the CAS's Shenyang branch co-held the "Expert Workshop on the Development and Utilization of Boron Iron" in June.

China inports most of its boron products and relies heavily on imports. In 2009, the nation's total borax output was 310,000 tons, while it imported 546,000 tons; total boric acid output was 180,000 tons and imports 178,000 tons. Dandong yielded 200,000 tons of borax and 50,000 tons of boric acid, playing an important role in the country's boron industry.

Liaodong has an abundant of boron iron resources, but its ore dressing technique is relatively backwards. CAS experts suggest to provide more financial support to the clean and efficient utilization of boron-iron resources. It's also planning to set up an industry mining chain, beneficiation, smelting and boronizing under the leadership of Liaoning Shougang Iron Boron Co Ltd.

A national industrial base and a national research center for the utilization of boron resources will be built to promote Dandong's boron industry.

Boron is an important mineral resource for the development of new materials, new energy and other emerging industries.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Tania Lee