Editing Borate (section)

== Natural occurrence ==
Borate ions occur, alone or with other anions, in many [[borate mineral|borate]] and [[borosilicate]] [[mineral]]s such as [[borax]], [[boracite]], [[ulexite]] (boronatrocalcite) and [[colemanite]]. Borates also occur in seawater, contributing to the absorption of low-frequency sound in seawater.<ref name=NPL/>

Common borate salts include [[sodium metaborate]] (NaBO<sub>2</sub>) and borax. Borax is soluble in water, so mineral deposits only occur in places with very low rainfall. Extensive deposits were found in [[Death Valley]] and shipped with [[twenty-mule team]]s from 1883 to 1889. In 1925, deposits were found at [[Boron, California|Boron]], [[California]] on the edge of the [[Mojave Desert]]. The [[Atacama Desert]] in [[Chile]] also contains mineable borate concentrations.

Borates also occur in plants, including almost all fruits.<ref name=allen1904/>