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What are metal borates? 

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Borates are generally name given for large number of boron containing oxyanions. A number of metal borates are known which arise by treating boric acid or boron oxides with metal oxides. They have linear chains of 2, 3 or 4 trigonal BO3 structural units, each sharing only one oxygen atom with adjacent unit/units.
A few examples are given below:
1) Mg2B2O5 (suanite) has diborate unit, i.e. B2O54−
2) CaAlB3O7 (johachidolite) has triborate unit, i.e. B3O75−
3)  Li6B4O9 is a tetraborate, i.e. B4O96−
4) NaBO2 and KBO2 contain the cyclic B3O62− ion.

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Akanksha Jain
 

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These compounds are salts of the oxyacids of boron (B), such as boric acid, H3BO3, metaboric acid, HBO2, and tetraboric acid, H2B4O7. Borates result either from the reaction of a base with a boron oxyacid or from the melting of boric acid or boron oxide, B2O3, with a molten metal oxide or hydroxide. Borate anion structures range from the simple trigonal planar BO33− ion to rather complex structures containing chains and rings of three- and four-coordinated boron atoms .For example, calcium metaborate, CaB2O4, consists of infinite chains of B2O42− units, whereas potassium borate, K[B5O6(OH)4] · 2H2O (commonly written as KB5O8 · 4H2O), consists of two B3O3 rings linked through a common four-coordinated boron atom. The tetraborates, B4O5(OH)42−, contain both three- and four-coordinated boron surrounded trigonally and tetrahedrally, respectively, by oxygen (O) atoms. Commercially, the most important borate is borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, Na2B4O7 · 10H2O. Borax is found naturally in dry lake beds, such as Searles Lake in California. It can be used to soften water and to make washing compounds. Its usefulness arises from the insolubility of calcium and magnesium borates and the alkaline or basic nature of aqueous solutions of borax. Borax is also used in the manufacture of borosilicate glass and enamels and as a fire retardant.
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