Magnesium

Magnesium is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element and constitutes about 2% of the Earth's crust by weight, and it is the third most plentiful element dissolved in seawater. This alkaline earth metal is primarily used as an alloying agent to make aluminium-magnesium alloys, sometimes called "magnalium" or "magnelium".

Sources

Although magnesium is found in over 60 minerals, only dolomite, magnesite, brucite, carnallite, talc, and olivine are of commercial importance.

Related Topics:
Mineral - Dolomite - Magnesite - Brucite - Carnallite - Talc - Olivine

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In the United States this metal is principally obtained by electrolysis of fused magnesium chloride from brines, wells, and sea water:

Related Topics:
United States - Electrolysis - Magnesium chloride - Brine - Sea water

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:cathode: Mg2+ + 2e- → Mg

Related Topics:
Cathode - E

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:anode: 2Cl- → Cl2 (gas) + 2e-

Related Topics:
Anode - Cl - Gas

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The United States has traditionally been the major world supplier of this metal, supplying 45% of world production even as recently as 1995. Today, the US market share is at 7%, with a single domestic producer left. As of 2005 China has taken over as the dominant supplier, pegged at 60% world market share, which increased from 4% in 1995. Unlike the above described electrolytic process, China is almost completely reliant on a different method of obtaining the metal from its ores, the silicothermic Pidgeon process.

Related Topics:
United States - China - Electrolytic - Silicothermic - Pidgeon process

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