The price per ton of boron carbide can reach $45,000. And armor plates made from it can cost up to $300,000 per ton.
In the north-west of Turkey in the province of Balikesir, a large plant for the production of boron carbide has been launched. The start of its work was given by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, TRT reports on Sunday, March 19.
“This is our first and one of the few such plants in the world. This is a strategic undertaking. The product that will be produced here can be found in all areas: aviation, defense, electrical goods, construction. The plant will produce up to a thousand tons of boron carbide per year. And this is a product with a high added value,” Erdogan said.
For Turkey, this plant will become one of the strategic enterprises in the defense sector, due to the fact that boron carbide is widely used for the production of armored products.
Erdogan stressed that in the future, other enterprises for the production of boron ore will be re-equipped for the production of carbide.
Up to 74% of the world’s boron reserves are concentrated in Turkey. Until the 1960s, the country exported only boron ore. Later, Turkey began to produce boric acid, the cost of which is about 10 times higher than ore and reaches $1-1.2 thousand per ton. In turn, the price per ton of boron carbide can reach $45,000. And armor plates made from it can cost up to $300,000 per ton.
Boron is also used in various industries, including the nuclear industry, automotive, textiles and electronics.
Earlier it was reported that the Germans intend to build a tank plant in Ukraine. Rheinmetall hopes that a decision will be made within the next two months.
