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Magnesium sources

Magnesium was found in over 60 minerals. But only magnsite, dolomite, brucite, carnallite, tals and olivine are used in industry and metallurgy. In the US magnesium metal is mainly got by electrolysis of fused magnesium chloride from brines, wells and seawater:

Mg²⁺ + 2e^- -> Mg
2Cl^- -> Cl₂+ 2 e^-

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. In 2005 China has taken over as the dominant supplier, pegged at 60% world market share, which increased from 4% in 1995. Nowadays China is principal the biggest producer and explorer of magnesium and its compounds. The country is almost completely reliant on a different method of obtaining the metal from its ores, the silicothermic Pidgeon process (the reduction of the oxide at high temperatures with silicon).

Source: en.wikipedia.org

What is magnesium?

Green vegetables such as spinach provide magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium. Nuts (especially cashews and almonds), seeds, and some whole grains are also good sources of magnesium.

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Notable features

Magnesium is a fairly strong, silvery-white, light-weight metal. It is protected by a thin layer of oxide which is fairly impermeable and hard to remove. Magnesium reacts with water at room temperature, though it reacts much more slowly (for example) than calcium.

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