A method of forming a glass melt, including measuring predetermined amounts of raw materials to define a glass batch, combining predetermined amounts of sources of silica, calcia and boron from the glass batch to yield a first pre-batch, substantially consolidating the first pre-batch into first pre-batch granules, combining predetermined amounts of sources of silica, calcia, and alumina from the glass batch to yield a second pre-batch, mixing the first and second pre-batches and any remaining portion of the glass batch to yield a batch mixture, and heating the batch mixture to yield a glass melt. Typically, the raw materials at least include sources of silica, alumina, calcia and boron and each respective first pre-batch granule defines a cohesive agglomerate.