Tincal is a mineral of which element?

Tincal is a naturally occurring mineral that serves as an important source of the element boron (B). Chemically, tincal is known as sodium borate decahydrate (Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O). It is commonly referred to as borax in industrial and laboratory use. Tincal crystals are soft, colorless to white, and have a glassy luster. This mineral is typically found in evaporite deposits formed by the evaporation of boron-rich lake water.

Boron is a metalloid element belonging to Group 13 of the periodic table. It is never found in the free state in nature but occurs in combined forms such as borax (tincal), colemanite (Ca₂B₆O₁₁·5H₂O), and kernite (Na₂B₄O₆·5H₂O). Among these, borax or tincal is the most common and commercially significant boron mineral.

Tincal is mainly obtained from Tibet, California, Turkey, and India, where natural deposits of boron-rich minerals exist. It dissolves in water to give an alkaline solution and is widely used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, detergents, fluxes, and antiseptics. Boron compounds derived from tincal are also important in the production of heat-resistant borosilicate glass and fiberglass.

The presence of boron in tincal gives it unique chemical properties such as buffering ability, water softening action, and flame retardancy. The extraction and purification of borax from tincal involve recrystallization from aqueous solution, making it a key industrial process in inorganic chemical manufacturing.

Therefore, tincal is recognized as a natural mineral of boron, providing an essential raw material for many boron-based compounds used in household, industrial, and laboratory applications