The Carbothermic Route to Magnesium

The carbothermic reduction of magnesia
to produce magnesium offers the
potential of a lower energy and higher
productivity route for metal production
compared to existing industrial routes.
The reaction of magnesia and carbon
produces a magnesium and carbon
monoxide vapor. Slow cooling of that
vapor will allow the reaction to quickly
revert and the prevention of this reversion
reaction is a major technical challenge.
Two main approaches can be taken to
prevent reversion and allow recovery of
the metal product: rapid quenching of
the vapor and dissolving the magnesium
directly in a suitable metal solvent before
reversion can occur. The commercial
viability of either carbothermic route to
magnesium is closely connected to the
physical chemistry of each system.