Extraction of Magnesium

By
V. ARAVAMUTHAN1
Retired Deputy Director
Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, India

All rights reserved

Published by:
M/s Catalyst Management Services Private Limited, India (http://www.cms.org.in)
01 June 2015

ISBN No: 987-81-908417-9-5

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in this article are solely of the author and the publication agency is not responsible for the same.

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The author Mr. V. Aravamuthan, aged 95, has been contributing articles for the advancement of Science and Technology for over seven
decades (since 8 March 1943). Mr. Aravamuthan can be contacted at the following address - Flat No 7, II Floor, AKM Nest, Jawaharlal
Nehru Street, T. Nagar, Chennai- 600 017, India. E Mail: sampuviji@gmail.com; Phone No: +91 44- 28140082.

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In this article, an idea for most economical production of Magnesium is given. Attempt has been made
to provide these ideas in simple manner to understand easily. The author, at his age of ninety five, is
interested only to see that the said views reach many in different walks of life and put in to action as
appropriate.
The Idea
Low cost and abundant raw materials for the production of magnesium in India are:

Large quantities of Magnesite containing 2% or more Silica available as rejects in the production of
high grade Magnesium Oxide, and
Solar salt bitterns from which 35% Magnesium Chloride solution and solid Potassium Chloride are
recovered

35% Magnesium Chloride solution is also obtained from Magnesite rejects and also the Magnesium
Oxide co-product in the production of Graphene by reacting pure magnesium metal vapours and pure
Carbon-di-oxide at high temperatures. The Chlorine co product is reacted with Methane to get Methyl
Chloride and in the second step the Methyl Chloride is converted into liquid fuels. In both the steps
Hydrochloric Acid gas is dissolved in water to get 10 to 12% Hydrochloric Acid solution This
Hydrochloric Acid solution is employed for reaction with Silicious Magnesite and Magnesium Oxide co
product in graphene production. A slight excess of theoretical amount of Hydrochloric Acid is utilized
in both the cases. After the reaction is over, employing a plastic lined centrifuge pure Magnesium
Chloride solution is obtained from Magnesite rejects. In the case of Magnesium Oxide co product from
grapheme production, the magnesium oxide and any magnesium metal along with graphene is allowed
to react for several hours at room temperatures. Then Graphene is removed by filtration and well washed
in water. The Magnesium Chloride solution from both is concentrated by heat to get 35% magnesium
chloride solution.
Employing a low cost source of Calcium Chloride solution (such as the one obtained by reacting
silicious lime stone with the hydrochloric acid and filtering) is added to solar salt bitterns to de sulphate
the bitterns. The precipitated Calcium Sulphate is removed and used as a low cost very efficient filler in
paper manufacture instead of the costly precipitated Calcium Carbonate. The desulphated bitterns is
reacted with chlorine to recover Bromine. The desulphated, debrominated bitterns is solar evaporated to
get solid Sodium Chloride. After the removal of Sodium Chloride further evaporation yields solid
Potassium Chloride leaving behind a 35% solution of Magnesium Chloride.
In a cyclic process 35% Magnesium Chloride solution is mixed with depleted electrolyte rich in
Potassium Chloride and make up Potassium Chloride and this mixture is heated in a closed chamber
with Hydrochloric Acid gas. The resulting Hydrochloric Acid containing water vapour is collected and
water added to get Hydrochloric Acid solution of 10 to 12% for use in the cyclic process.
Employing a simple non-diaphragm cell capable of taking very high current densities, electrolysis of
molten mixtures of Magnesium and Potassium Chlorides is conducted in a suitable refractory vessel
with molten lead as cathode and Graphite as anode. The lead magnesium alloy is heated at high
temperatures in a closed vessel to expel magnesium metal vapours. The molten lead left behind is used
as cathode in the cyclic process.
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In employing a 35% solution of Magnesium Chloride recovered from solar salt bitterns, there is no need
for recycling Hydrochloric Acid and hence Hydrochloric Acid gas is best utilized to recover pure
Sodium Chloride solid from sea water for use in chlor alkali industry.
Employing a low cost heat source from any industry or by utilizing solar heat, by taking advantage of
the fact that maximum sea water evaporates at 85% and at 0.83 atmosphere and the vapour compressed
to 0.87 atmosphere (a slight increase in pressure condensed readily). Pure water is obtained. The liquid
remaining is treated with Hydrochloric Acid gas. To precipitate out pure Sodium Chloride, The Sodium
Chloride is removed by employing a plastic lined centrifuge. The liquid remaining is reacted with
Ammonia gas to get Ammonium Chloride in solution along with all the Potassium, Calcium,
Magnesium Sulphate values and also micro nutrients present in sea water for use as irrigation water.
It is not out of place to mention here that high grade Magnesium Hydroxide can be obtained from
Magnesite rejects. The Magnesite rejects are digested with Nitric Acid and filtered. The Magnesium
Nitrate solution is mixed with calculated amounts of Ammonia and Ammonium Nitrate solution in a
cyclic process under proper condition and filtered to get pure crystalline Magnesium Hydroxide leaving
behind Ammonium Nitrate solution along with the Ammonium Nitrate already present. A required
portion of Ammonium Nitrate is used in the cyclic process and the rest is the manufactured product.
Practically the same amount of Ammonium Nitrate solution is obtained as in the direct neutralization of
Ammonia with Nitric Acid,
In places where Magnesium Silicate is the only raw material available, If the powdered silicate material
is heated at 850 to 950 centigrade for about an hour and then suddenly quenched in water becomes
soluble in Hydrochloric and Nitric Acid then after this said treatment they can be treated like Silicious
Magnesite to get pure Magnesium metal and Hydroxide.

The author can be contacted at the following address:

Flat No 7, II Floor, AKM Nest, Jawaharlal Nehru Street, T. Nagar, Chennai- 600 017, India
E Mail: sampuviji@gmail.com; Phone No: +91 44- 28140082

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