<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!DOCTYPE Zthes SYSTEM "http://zthes.z3950.org/xml/zthes-05.dtd">  <Zthes><term><termId>31344458</termId><termName>borax</termName><termType>PT</termType><termNote><![CDATA[ A white or colorless crystalline mineral composed of hydrated sodium borate, used as a flux, cleansing agent, tanning agent, water softener, preservative, fungicide, as an alkaline ingredient in glass, ceramics, and glazes, in soldering, and as a source of boron. Borax is produced by the evaporation of water in shallow lakes. Borax was used by the Egyptians for mummification, by the Romans for glassmaking, as a flux for soldering gold in 9th-century Arabia, in ceramic glazes in northern China in the 10th century, and in Venetian glass from the 13th century. ]]></termNote><termCreatedDate>2026-03-30 20:32:54</termCreatedDate><relation><relationType>UF</relationType><termId>31344459</termId><termName>sodium tetraborate decahydrate</termName><termType>ND</termType></relation><relation><relationType>UF</relationType><termId>31344460</termId><termName>tincal</termName><termType>ND</termType></relation><relation><relationType>BT</relationType><termId>31320469</termId><termName>mineral</termName><termType>PT</termType></relation></term>  </Zthes>