What are the principal production processes today?
Both processes – electrolysis of molten magnesium chloride and Thermal reduction of magnesium oxide, are used to produce significant quantities of magnesium, although currently the majority of production on a worldwide scale is by the electrolytic method. The magnesium chloride cell feed for the electrolytic process is obtained from the ocean, brines rich in magnesium chloride, residual bitterns from the processing of potash, dolomite or magnesium oxide ores.
