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".

Uses

Magnesium compounds, primarily magnesium oxide, are used mainly as refractory material in furnace linings for producing iron and steel, nonferrous metals, glass, and cement. Magnesium oxide and other compounds also are used in agricultural, chemical, and construction industries. This element's principal use is as an alloying additive to aluminium with these aluminium-magnesium alloys being used mainly for beverage cans. Magnesium alloys also are used as structural components of automobiles and machinery. Another use of this metal is to aid the removal of sulfur from iron and steel.

Related Topics:
Magnesium oxide - Refractory - Furnace - Iron - Steel - Glass - Cement - Aluminium - Beverage can - Automobile - Sulfur

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Other uses include:

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• Magnesium, like aluminium, is strong and light, so it is used in several high volume automotive and truck components. Specialty, high grade car wheels of magnesium alloy are called "mag wheels."
• Photoengraved plates in the printing industry.
• Combined in alloys, this metal is essential for airplane and missile construction.
• When used as an alloying agent, this metal improves the mechanical, fabrication and welding characteristics of aluminium.
• Additive agent for conventional propellants and used in producing nodular graphite in cast iron.
• Reducing agent for the production of pure uranium and other metals from their salts.
• Its hydroxide is used in milk of magnesia, its chloride and sulfate in Epsom salts and its citrates in medicine.
• Dead-burned magnesite is used for refractory purposes such as brick and liners in furnaces and converters.
• Magnesium is also flammable, burning at a temperature of approximately 4000 °F (2500 K) (2200 °C).
• The extremely high temperature at which magnesium burns makes it a handy tool for starting emergency fires during outdoor recreation.
• Magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃) powder is also used by athletes, such as gymnasts and weightlifters, to improve the grip on objects – the apparatus or lifting bar.
• Magnesium stearate is a slightly flammable white powder with lubricative properties. In pharmaceutical technology it's used in the manufacturing of tablets, to prevent the tablets from sticking to the equipment during the tablet compression process (i.e., when the tablet's substance is pressed into tablet form).
• for a long time ,Porsche used magnesium alloy for it's engine cases due to the weight advantage over Aluminium, the high pressure casting were done by Mahle and won numerous awards for the biggest castings at the time. Later on they went back to aluminium because of the added strength. Other use for Magnesium alloy is for wheels
• Other uses include flashlight photography, flares, and pyrotechnics, including incendiary bombs.