In July 1979 Extra 8090 West rumbles through town and passes the newly repainted Boron depot. Boron is just about the mid point on the line between Mojave and Barstow. Borax deposits were discovered near Kramer in 1913. The town of Boron was soon founded and named for a chemical element in borax. Just northwest of town is a largest open pit mine in California owned and operated by US Borax. The pit is a mile wide, one and one-half miles long and up to 700 feet deep. Production of borax began at in 1927. The borax plant produces about one million tons of borax, boric acid and anhydrous products per year and is served by the Boron Local out of Barstow. US Borax has a fleet of nearly 800 rail cars to transport borates to North American customers and the Port of Los Angeles for export. Disk 50

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