Magnesium

Magnesium is a lightweight, silvery alkaline-earth metal with atomic number 12. It occurs in minerals and is essential to many biological processes.

Alkaline-earth metal: An element in Group 2 of the periodic table, typically forming ions with a +2 charge. Magnesium’s two outer electrons place it in this chemical family.
Magnesium extraction: The industrial production of magnesium metal from ores or magnesium-rich brines. Its strong chemical affinity makes extraction dependent on electrolysis or reduction.
Magnesium alloys: Metallic materials in which magnesium is the principal constituent, combined with elements such as aluminum or zinc. Alloying improves strength and workability while retaining low density.
Magnesite: A magnesium carbonate mineral with the formula MgCO₃. It is an important natural source of magnesium.
Aluminum: A lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal with atomic number 13. Aluminum is often compared with magnesium in lightweight structural applications.
Magnesium ion: A magnesium atom that has lost two electrons, forming the Mg²⁺ cation. This is the form magnesium commonly takes in salts and living cells.
Pidgeon process: A thermal process that reduces calcined dolomite with ferrosilicon to produce magnesium vapor. This is a major route for producing magnesium metal.
Magnesium in aerospace: The use of magnesium and its alloys in aircraft and spacecraft components. Low mass makes magnesium useful where reducing structural weight matters.
Dolomite: A carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, CaMg(CO₃)₂. Its magnesium content makes it a major feedstock for metal production.
Calcium: An alkaline-earth metal with atomic number 20 that is abundant in rocks and essential to organisms. Calcium shares magnesium’s group chemistry but is heavier and biologically distinct.

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