Borax is calcined to boric oxide, then reduced with Mg to crude boron; higher-purity B comes from H2 reduction of BCl3 on a hot tungsten wire.
Research Elements B · atomic number 5 Metalloid · period 2, group 13 [He] 2s2 2p1 Shells: 2, 3 Valence electrons: 3 in the outer shell (2s2 2p1) Green dots are the outer shell's s and p electrons. Softer green dots are the d electrons of transition metals, and the d and f electrons of lanthanides and actinides: they often take part in bonding, but not always. Grey dots are the core. Ground-state configuration from the NIST Atomic Spectra Database (A. Kramida, Yu. Ralchenko, J. Reader and the NIST ASD Team). Abundance is the mole fraction of the element found as that isotope on Earth; digits in parentheses are the uncertainty in the last digits. Masses and abundances from NIST, Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions (J. S. Coursey, D. J. Schwab, J. J. Tsai and R. A. Dragoset, National Institute of Standards and Technology).Boron
Electrons
How it's obtained
Natural isotopes
Isotope Relative atomic mass Abundance How this isotope is separated 10B 10.01293695(41) 0.199(7) Fractional distillation of the BF3·anisole complex in tall packed columns: 10BF3 dissociates slightly more from the anisole complex, so 10B enriches at the top of the column. 11B 11.00930536(45) 0.801(7)