Borax

Description

The term “borax” is used to refer both to a mineral and to a refined compound with numerous applications. The mineral takes the form of colorless to white soft crystals, which can sometimes be tinged with brown, yellow, or green. When struck against another material, borax leaves a crumbly white streak. The substance is also known as sodium tetraborate or disodium tetraborate, and it has been known to humans for thousands of years. The mineral is a chemical compound of the element boron, and the chemical formula for borax is Na2B4O7**0H2O.

The word “borax” comes from a Persian word, burak, which was used to refer to borax and other borate salts in the Middle East, picked up by the Romans, and adopted by the Middle English. Borax and related salts were used in the preservation of both food and mummies, as well as to make pottery glazes in China and as a cleaning material. In Medieval Europe, borax was used as a flux in soldering, to scour metal before it was welded together. Borax is still used for similar purposes today, although it is more heavily refined for purity.