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Magnesium Resources, Reserves and Production-Metalpedia
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Magnesium Resources, Reserves and Production-Metalpedia
Contents
Magnesium resources, reserves and production
Magnesium
Magnesium is found in seawater and brines, as well as in deposits in the earth. There are three different types Magnesium: extraction
of magnesium ore: magnesite, dolomite and carnallite. It is also found in salt wells, brine and seawater. Traces of Magnesium uses
the element can be found in mineral waters. The element is a part of green plant chlorophyll. Magnesium: recycling
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However, magnesium reserves are highly concentrated in three countries: Russia, China and Korea.
Magnesite is the major source from which China extracts magnesium. In 2013, identified world resources of
magnesite totaled 12 billion tones and world reserves of magnesite totaled 2.4 billion tones with China accounting
for 21% (500 million tonnes), Russia accounting for 27% (650 million tonnes) and North Korea accounting for
18.8% (450 million tonnes). In addition to magnesite, there are vast reserves of well and lake brines and seawater
from which magnesium compounds can be recovered. The Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake in Utah, US are
All deposits are exploited as open cut mines and most are found in
South Australia, followed by Queensland, then Tasmania. Queensland Magnesia (QMAG) exploits the Kunwarara
deposit, where mining commenced in 1989. Proven resources are in excess of 87 million tonnes of ore. Orind
Australia owns the Thuddungra magnesite deposit in New South Wales. Orind is ultimately owned by Excel
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potassium, chlorides and bromides, from which potash, bromine, magnesium chloride and periclase (another
magnesium compound) are produced, as well as magnesium metal.
China is the country with the second most abundant magnesite resources. There are 27 proven magnesite
deposits in China, and these are mainly distributed in Liaoning, Shandong (a minimum verified reserve of 350
million tonnes), Xinjiang, Tibet and Gansu, among which, the reserves in Liaoning, are the largest, accounting for
about 85.6% of those in China overall, and the area is world famous for its large reserves and high quality.
Dolomite mines are rich in China as well, mainly being distributed in Shanxi, Henan, Jilin and Qinghai
Magnesium salt is abundant in Qaidam Basin in China, and nearly 99% of identified magnesium salt reserves
are found in that area. There are two types: magnesium chloride (identified reserve 4.2 billion tonnes, base
reserve 1.9 billion tonnes); and magnesium sulfate (identified reserve 1.7 billion tonnes, base reserve 1.2 billion
tonnes).
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According to the latest data released by USGS, in 2013, world magnesite mine production fell to 5.96 million
tonnes with a year-on-year decrease of 390 tones. China tops the world magnesite productions, accounting for
Today almost all the world's primary magnesium is produced in China, which was responsible for 800,000
tonnes out of a total world production of 910,000 tonnes in 2013. Other significant producers of magnesium metal
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are Russia, Israel and Kazakhstan, which smaller quantities are produced in Canada, Brazil, Serbia and Ukraine.
Today China remains the largest magnesium manufacturer with an 81% share of world output. The USA
produces 5.1% of all magnesium. (Data from Merchant Research & Consulting ltd)
According to the International Magnesium Conference data, China's reported magnesium production was
698,300 tons in 2012, 5.71% higher than it was in 2011, and accounting for 82% of world output. By 2012, China
had topped world production for 15 years. Forty-four percent of the output was from Shaanxi Province (3,167,000
tons), 42.48% from Shanxi Province, and 5% from Ningxia Province. Production has shifted from Shanxi Province
Shanxi Yinguang Magnesium Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. is the largest primary magnesium producer in China,
with a primary magnesium capacity of 100 kilotons in 2012. Its major subsidiary Shanxi Yinguang Huasheng
Magnesium Industry Co., Ltd. ranked No.1 in China in terms of primary magnesium output in 2011. At present, the
company has formed a complete industrial chain covering every stage from magnesium ore exploitation to
magnesium alloy deep processing.
the company is accelerating its magnesium alloy capacity expansion, and developing the upstream industrial chain
in the regions with rich magnesium ore resources such as Shanxi Province.
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2012. In recent years, its revenue from magnesium alloy products has maintained
rapid growth. It’s accelerating the strategic switch to 3C products, and the magnesium alloy shells and internal
brackets for tablet PCs and smart phones will be the main business growth points for
the company in the future.
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H He
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Li Be B C N O F Ne
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
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K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118
Fr Ra Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Uut Fl Uup Lv Uus Uuo
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