Borax Airport (FAA: 28CL) — Boron, California

Borax Airport, designated by the FAA under the identifier 28CL, is a private general aviation facility located on Suckow Road in Boron, California 93516. Situated at an elevation of approximately 2,413 feet (735 meters) above sea level in the high Mojave Desert of Kern County, the airport sits at coordinates 34.9994°N, 117.6498°W and serves as the dedicated aviation support facility for the Rio Tinto U.S. Borax Mine — the largest open-pit mine in California and the single largest borax mining operation on Earth.

Unlike commercial or public-use general aviation airports, 28CL operates as an industrial airfield tightly integrated with mine operations. The facility features a single runway and supports executive and operational flights for Rio Tinto personnel, contractors, engineers, and supply chain coordinators who require direct air access to the Boron site. The airport eliminates the need for lengthy ground transfers from Palmdale, Mojave, or Bakersfield, providing efficient connectivity to what is one of the most strategically significant mineral extraction sites in the Western United States.

Rio Tinto U.S. Borax Mine and the Airport's Industrial Role

The reason for Borax Airport's existence is inseparable from the scale and importance of the Rio Tinto U.S. Borax Mine directly adjacent to the facility. Continuous mining operations at this site date to 1927, making it one of California's most enduring industrial enterprises. Today, the mine produces approximately one million tonnes of boron compounds per year, satisfying roughly 30 percent of total global boron demand. Boron is a critical industrial mineral used in fiberglass insulation, agriculture, glass manufacturing, ceramics, and increasingly in advanced energy storage technologies.

Rio Tinto Group, the multinational mining conglomerate headquartered in London and Melbourne, acquired U.S. Borax and incorporated it into its global portfolio. Managing a mine of this magnitude — with hundreds of employees, complex logistics, international supply chains, and continuous oversight from corporate leadership — requires reliable, flexible aviation access. Borax Airport provides that capability. Senior executives, environmental compliance officers, geologists, and maintenance contractors from across the Rio Tinto network can fly directly to 28CL rather than routing through larger regional airports with ground transit times of 30 to 90 minutes or more.

Location, Elevation, and Desert Operating Environment

The airport's elevation of 2,413 feet MSL reflects its position on the western Mojave Desert plateau in the Antelope Valley region of Kern County. This high-desert environment brings significant density altitude considerations during summer months, when temperatures in Boron regularly exceed 100°F. Pilots operating into 28CL must account for the combined effects of heat and altitude on aircraft performance, particularly during takeoff and climb. The surrounding terrain is characteristically flat and open, dominated by creosote scrub and the vast excavated terraces of the open-pit mine itself.

Boron is an unincorporated census-designated place with a 2020 Census population of approximately 2,086 residents. The community lies roughly 85 miles east of Bakersfield along U.S. Route 58, approximately 40 miles west of Barstow, and about 21 miles from Edwards Air Force Base — the renowned flight test center and NASA research facility. The town's identity has been shaped almost entirely by mining; it was previously known by several names including Amargo, Baker, Borate, and Kern before the current designation tied to the mineral that defines the local economy.

Nearby Airports and Regional Aviation Context

Pilots seeking public-use alternatives near Boron have several options within a reasonable radius. California City Municipal Airport lies approximately 19.5 miles from Boron and serves as the nearest public general aviation field. Mojave Air and Space Port (IATA: MHV), located roughly 26 miles to the southwest, is a significantly larger facility well-known as a civilian flight test center and aircraft storage depot, with commercial-grade infrastructure and full FBO services. Palmdale Regional Airport (IATA: PMD) sits approximately 36 miles to the west and offers scheduled commercial service and full general aviation support.

For those traveling from the Bay Area or Northern California, the routing context often involves Livermore Municipal Airport, Oakland International Airport (OAK), or Meadowlark Airport before connecting south toward Kern County. The relatively sparse aviation infrastructure of the central Mojave means that 28CL's private status does create a genuine gap for general public access to the immediate Boron area, reinforcing the mine's reliance on its own dedicated airfield.

Boron Community and the Borax Visitor Center

Despite the industrial character of the airport and mine, the broader Boron community offers a publicly accessible cultural resource through the Borax Visitor Center. Open to the public, the center includes a museum chronicling the history of borax mining in the Mojave Desert from the 19th century through the modern Rio Tinto era, a collection of historic mining artifacts and equipment, and an overlook providing sweeping views of the open-pit mine itself — one of the most visually dramatic industrial landscapes in California. The visitor center draws travelers from across the Southwest curious about the geological and economic story behind boron production.

The town of Boron, though small, maintains a tight-knit identity anchored by the mine's century-long presence. The convergence of Mojave Desert geography, proximity to Edwards AFB, and the world-scale mining operation creates an environment unlike any other community in California's high desert. Borax Airport, at its core, is the aviation infrastructure that keeps this industrial ecosystem connected to the broader world — a specialized facility purpose-built for the operational demands of a mine that supplies nearly a third of the planet's boron supply.

Borax Airport Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Boron, Colorado.

Name Borax Airport
Address 14486 Borax Road, Boron CA 93516 Map
Phone (760) 762-7000
Website
Hours

Map of Borax Airport


Frequently Asked Questions — Borax Airport (28CL), Boron, CA

Borax Airport, FAA identifier 28CL, is a private general aviation airfield located on Suckow Road in Boron, California 93516. The facility is operated in direct support of the Rio Tinto U.S. Borax Mine, which is owned and managed by Rio Tinto Group. The airport serves as a dedicated aviation access point for Rio Tinto personnel, contractors, engineers, and executives who require efficient air travel directly to the mine site. It is not a public-use airport and does not offer scheduled commercial service or unrestricted general aviation access. The airport features a single runway and is situated in an unincorporated area of Kern County in the Mojave Desert, approximately 85 miles east of Bakersfield along U.S. Route 58.

The closest public-use airport to Boron, California is California City Municipal Airport, located approximately 19.5 miles away. For travelers seeking larger facilities with full FBO services, Mojave Air and Space Port (FAA/IATA: MHV) is approximately 26 miles to the southwest of Boron and offers a full range of general aviation infrastructure as well as its notable role as a civilian flight test center. Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD) is approximately 36 miles west of Boron and provides both general aviation support and scheduled commercial airline service for travelers connecting to the Los Angeles region. Because Borax Airport (28CL) itself is private and tied to mine operations, members of the public visiting the Borax Visitor Center or the Boron area should plan their arrival through one of these three public alternatives.

The Rio Tinto U.S. Borax Mine in Boron, California is the world's largest borax mine and California's largest open-pit mine. With continuous operations dating to 1927, the site produces approximately one million tonnes of boron compounds annually, representing roughly 30 percent of total global boron demand. The mine is owned by Rio Tinto Group, the multinational mining conglomerate formerly known in this context as U.S. Borax. Boron compounds extracted at this site are used in fiberglass insulation, agricultural fertilizers, glass manufacturing, ceramics, and emerging energy storage applications. Borax Airport (28CL) exists specifically to support the operational and logistical requirements of this mine, providing direct air access for Rio Tinto's global management, engineers, environmental specialists, and supply contractors who would otherwise face ground transfers of 30 to 90 minutes from the nearest commercial or public aviation facilities.

No. Borax Airport (FAA: 28CL) is a private facility and is not open for public use. Access is restricted to authorized Rio Tinto personnel, contracted aviation operators, and others with specific business relating to the U.S. Borax Mine. Pilots and travelers interested in visiting the Boron area should use California City Municipal Airport (approximately 19.5 miles away), Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV, approximately 26 miles away), or Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD, approximately 36 miles away). Members of the public interested in learning about the borax mining operation can visit the Borax Visitor Center in Boron, which is open to the public and includes a museum with historic artifacts, mining equipment displays, and an overlook of the open-pit mine — without requiring any access to airport or mine operational areas.

Borax Airport (28CL) is located at coordinates 34.9994°N, 117.6498°W, placing it on the Suckow Road address in the unincorporated community of Boron, Kern County, California 93516. The airport sits at an elevation of approximately 2,413 feet (735 meters) above mean sea level (MSL). This high-desert elevation on the western Mojave Desert plateau means pilots must account for significant density altitude effects during warm weather operations, as temperatures in Boron frequently exceed 100°F during summer months. The combination of heat and altitude requires careful aircraft performance calculations, particularly for takeoff roll and initial climb. The airport is situated approximately 21 miles from Edwards Air Force Base, the renowned flight test center in the Antelope Valley.

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