Borates are minerals that contain the borate anion group, and they are an exceptionally complex group of minerals because the basic building units, i.e., the [B₃O₆]²⁻ anion groups, can be interconnected in different ways, similar to the basic building units of silicates, i.e., [SiO₄]⁴⁻ anion groups. Because of this, borates have crystal chemical features most similar to silicates. The complexity of borate structures is further emphasized as borates can also contain hydroxide [OH] and/or chloride anions [Cl].

Borates are relatively rare in nature but are represented by a large number of different types of minerals due to the many possible combinations in their structure. Over 100 species of borate minerals are known, but only a few occur frequently in nature. These include kernite, borax, ulexite, colemanite, and boracite. Many borate minerals, like borax, colemanite, and ulexite, are soft and easily soluble salts found in evaporitic environments. On the other hand, some borates, like boracite, are hard and resistant to weathering.

Since the formation of borates is most commonly associated with evaporation (evaporitic processes), the most notable borate mineral deposits are found in desert areas such as the Kramer district and Death Valley in the Mojave Desert in California, the Inderborsky district in Kazakhstan, and the Tuscany region in Italy. The largest borate reserves are located in the Anatolia region in Turkey, accounting for more than 70% of the world’s total borate reserves. Apart from evaporation, borates can also form through complex metamorphic processes.