What is Magnesium?

Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12 on the periodic table.  It is the third most commonly used structural metal, following steel and aluminum.  Magnesium is the lightest of all structural metals; it is 1/4 the weight of steel, 2/5 the weight of titanium, and 2/3 the weight of aluminum.

Magnesium in its free metal form is not found naturally. Rather, the magnesium metal is produced by the electrolysis of magnesium salts obtained from sea brine or by a silicothermic reduction process known as the pidgeon process. Click here to view pidgeon process in detail.

Magnesium and its alloys have multiple applications.  Magnesium ingots are the feedstock for the manufacturing process of titanium and aluminum alloying.  Magnesium powder and granules are used as desulphurizer that removes sulfur in the production process of steel.  And various types of magnesium alloys are used to produce parts in aircraft, automobile, and in electronic equipment such as computers, cameras, and cellular phones making them lighter and stronger.