Magnesium and magnesium compounds

24 Pages·1991·5.3 MB·English

by  Kramer, Deborah A

| Hi | ANNUAL ReoeOe kT
MAGNESIUM AND
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
By Deborah A. Kramer
3 1
1 9 9 0 LIDAR }
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF MINES
HD
9539
.M25 |
M35 )
1990
BLM Library
eles Federal Center
‘dg. 50, OC- 521
"p6 . Box 25047
benver, CO 80225
4 \2623395 14 ID: BPOTCHOS
ATiA te KeeperRa
MAGNESIUM AND
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
US.
DEPARTMENT
OF THE
INTERIOR
Manuel Lujan, Jr
Secretary
TS Ary
Director
October 1991
Contents Tables
Domestic Data Coverage ..... Table 1.—U.S. Magnesium Metal
Backeround - 2. 0 [email protected]. st. Producers, by Location, Raw
Definitions, Grades, and Material, and Production
SpECiHiCAliOUS fais 2 acae e Capacity 119908 aero. 5:
Products for Trade and Table 2.—U.S. Magnesium
Industry ee eee eee Compound Producers, by Raw
Industry; structuresars eee Material Source, Location, and
CEOIOSY Bae ae a ee eee Production Capacity in 1990 .... 3
Technology Table 3.—U.S. Import Duties .... 4
Processing Table 4.—Salient Magnesium
ui 6) ie (oa) 0) 8 8) 6) e/a) nS
Metal Statistics i 2 e-aeeaee eeie . >
Nonmeétal ¥e sass v.a Table 5.—Magnesium Recovered
Economic Factors ......... From Scrap Processed in the
Annual; Review... .0.532.. United States, by Kind of Scrap
Magnesium and Form of Recovery ......... 6
Legislation and Government Table 6.—U.S. Consumption of
Programs Primary Magnesium, by Use .... 7
PrOduchiOniya +e) onea e Table 7.—U.S. Stocks and
Consumption and Uses Consumption of New and Old
SLOCKS is ee ee oe Magnesium Scrap. -454. 7
Markets and Prices ...... Table 8.—U.S. Exports of
Poreignclsadé tte sce Magnesium, by Country ........ 8
World Review .......... Table 9.—U.S. Imports for
Consumption of Magnesium,
by; COUNTY I. aster eee 9
INOTWAV estaev erte r Table 10.—World Annual Primary
United Kingdom ...... Magnesium Production Capacity,
Magnesium Compounds December 315.1990 2 eee 10
Proddction] se 6 a ee Table 11.—Magnesium: World
Consumption and Uses Primary Production, by Country . 10
Markets and Prices ...... Table 12.—Magnesium: World
Moreign rade ys Secondary Production,
World: Reviews .-2 28 ee by: Counthy\ eeeee e e 11
Australia 2250.28 Table 13.—Salient Magnesium
Czechoslovakia ........ Compound Statistics ........... 11
Greece Table 14.—U.S. Magnesium
irai eae ee
Compounds Shipped and Used .. 12
Ireland Table 15.—Yearend Magnesium
Mesica Witw. sailsie
Compound! Prcésigs 57.5 .265: 12
South Africa, Republic of .. Table 16.—U.S. Exports of Crude
Current Research ©: 2 aaa and Processed Magnesite, by
Outlook COUNTY pan We eae ee 12
Table 17.—U.S. Exports of
Magnesium Compounds ........ 14
COVER PHOTO: Table 18.—U.S. Imports for
Seawater represents a vast Consumption of Crude and
resource of magnesium. Processed Magnesite, by Country 14
With a concentration of Table 19.—U.S. Imports for
0.13%, magnesium is the Consumption of Magnesium For comments or further information,
third most abundant ele- Compounds? 2.5 \...a Ye aaa 15 please contact
ment dissolved in seawater. Table 20.—World Magnesium The Branch of Industrial Minerals
In many countries, plants Compounds Annual Production The Division of Mineral Commodities
producing magnesium metal Capacity, December 31, 1990 ... 16 U.S. Bureau of Mines
and magnesium compounds Table 21.—Magnesite: World 2401 E St., NW, MS 5209
are on the coast to take ad- Production, by Country ........ 16 Washington, DC 20241-0001
vantage of this renewable Table 22.—Magnesium Supply- Telephone: [phone]
resource. Demand Relationships ......... 18 Fax: [phone]
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS—1990
MAGNESIUM AND
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
By Deborah A. Kramer
Ms. Kramer is a physical scientist with the Branch of Industrial Minerals. She has covered magnesium and magnesium
compounds for 7 years. Domestic survey data were prepared by Tony E. Morris, mineral data assistant; and international data
tables were prepared by William Zajac, Chief, Section, International Data.
omestic production of primary metals, cement, and glass industries. In used in specifying magnesium alloys
magnesium decreased by about general, these consumers were seeking are E for rare-earth metals and M for
8% in 1990 because U.S. pro- material with high magnesium oxide manganese.
ducers faced competition from (MgO) content, low boron content, and Magnesite, or magnesium carbonate
increasing quantities of imports, primar- large particle size. (MgCO,), has a theoretical magnesium
ily from Canada. Two primary magnesi- content of 47.6%. Dolomite is a calcium
um facilities opened in Canada during the carbonate-magnesium carbonate miner-
year, increasing annual world production DOMESTIC DATA al (CaCO3:MgCO3) that has a theoreti-
capacity by 52,500 metric tons. Most of COVERAGE cal magnesium content of 22%. Brucite,
the magnesium produced at these plants magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH),], con-
was exported to the United States, result- tains up to 69% magnesium, and olivine
ing in a dramatic increase in the quanti- Data for magnesium metal are col- (Mg,Fe,SiO,) contains up to 19% mag-
ty of total imports in 1990. lected from two voluntary surveys of U.S. nesium. Of these minerals, magnesite and
Aluminum alloys remained the prin- operations. Of the 129 companies can- dolomite are the largest sources of mag-
cipal end use for magnesium, but diecast- vassed for magnesium consumption data, nesium and magnesium compounds.
ings showed the largest increase in 97% responded, representing 65% of the Seawater, brines, and bitterns represent
primary magnesium consumption be- primary magnesium consumption shown vast sources of magnesium and magnesi-
tween 1989 and 1990. Magnesium die- in tables 4 and 6. Data for the four non- um compounds. In the United States,
castings were used in a greater number of respondents were estimated based on more than 60% of the magnesium com-
automotive applications, because auto- prior-year consumption levels and other pounds produced annually are recovered
makers looked to reduce total vehicle factors. from seawater and brines, and 80% of the
weight without reducing vehicle size. The Data for magnesium compounds were magnesium metal production capacity
potential for a significant increase in Cor- collected from one voluntary survey of uses seawater or brines as a raw material.
porate Average Fuel Economy standards U.S. operations. Of the 20 companies Various magnesia products are made by
in the near future could result in an even canvassed, 90% responded, representing calcining magnesium carbonate or mag-
larger increase in magnesium consump- 70% of the magnesium compounds nesium hydroxide at different tempera-
tion by the U.S. automotive industry. shipped and used shown in table 14. Data tures. Caustic-calcined magnesia, which
Domestic production and consumption for the two nonrespondents were esti- is readily reactive with water, is calcined
of magnesium compounds declined slight- mated based on prior-year consumption at temperatures up to 890° C. Dead-
ly in 1990. Imports supplied about 25% levels and other factors. burned magnesia, also called refractory or
of domestic demand, about the same as sintered magnesia, is calcined at temper-
in 1989, although the total quantity of atures up to 1,450° C and is unreactive
imports decreased. BACKGROUND with water. Fused magnesia is produced
Seawater and brines were the principal at temperatures greater than 3,000° C.
raw materials used to manufacture mag- Magnesia produced from magnesite is
Definitions, Grades, and
nesium compounds, accounting for about generally called natural magnesia, and
Specifications
69% of the total, with dolomite, magne- magnesia produced from seawater or
site, and olivine as the other sources. Primary magnesium metal contains a brines is called synthetic magnesia.
Refractories were the largest use for dead- minimum of 99.8% magnesium. Mag- Standards for magnesia, including
burned magnesia; caustic-calcined magne- nesium-base alloys are named by the com- chemical composition, bulk density, and
sia principally was used in the agricultural position of the two chief alloying particle size, generally are set by the con-
and chemical industries. elements, each designated by a letter, and sumer for a specific application. Refrac-
Producers in Czechoslovakia, Ireland, the approximate percentage of each alloy- tory magnesia composition depends on
and Mexico were upgrading their facill- ing element. For example, AZ91 contains the area of the furnace in which the
ties to produce higher grade dead-burned about 9% aluminum (A) and 1% zinc (Z), material is to be used. Magnesia produced
magnesia for consumers throughout the and HK31 contains about 3% thorium from magnesite can contain between
world in the iron and steel, nonferrous (H) and 1% zirconium (K). Other letters 88% and 98% magnesia, with varying
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS1—99 0 |
quantities of silica, iron, calcium, and alu- sulating wallboard. In the chemical indus- produced in Canada, France, Israel,
mina impurities. Synthetic magnesia nor- try, it is used as a starting point for the Japan, the United Kingdom, and the
mally is purer than natural magnesia, manufacture of other magnesium salts. United States.
containing between 92% and 99.5% Special grades of caustic-calcined magne- Norway is the world’s principal
magnesia, with smaller quantities of the sia are used for pharmaceuticals, includ- producer of olivine, and in addition to
same impurities found in natural magne- ing antacids, toothpaste, milk of supplying its domestic needs, Norway is
sia. Most fused magnesia contains great- magnesia, and cosmetics. Magnesia is a major world supplier of this mineral.
er than 94% magnesia. used to remove sulfur from flue gases and Countries with smaller output are Aus-
boiler fuels and is used for acid neutrali- tria, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden,
Products for Trade and Industry zation in process wastewater and in and the United States.
The principal use for magnesium lubricating oils. Caustic-calcined magne-
metal, averaging greater than 50% of sia is also important in manufacturing Geology
U.S. consumption annually, is as an al- paper, rayon, and rubber.!
Magnesium is the eighth most abun-
loying addition to aluminum. Magnesium Other magnesium compounds are used
dant element and constitutes about 2%
improves the hardness and corrosion in place of, or in addition to, caustic-
of the Earth’s crust. It is the third most
resistance of pure aluminum. Aluminum- calcined magnesia in many of the above
plentiful element dissolved in seawater,
magnesium alloys are used in a variety applications. Magnesium hydroxide is
with a concentration averaging 0.13%.
of applications, including automobiles, used in the pulp and paper industry; mag-
Although many minerals contain mag-
trucks, aircraft, appliances, and home sid- nesium sulfate is used for pharmaceuti-
nesium, magnesite, dolomite, brucite, and
ing. Two-piece beverage cans, containing cals, animal feed, and fertilizers; and
olivine are the only minerals from which
about 2% magnesium, are the largest sin- magnesium carbonate is used in the
magnesium compounds are recovered
gle use for these aluminum-magnesium chemical, pharmaceutical, and rubber in-
commercially.
alloys. dustries. Fused magnesia is used primar-
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock com-
Magnesium and its alloys are used as ily for electrical insulation.
monly interbedded with limestone, which
structural components on automobiles, The principal use for olivine is as a
extends over large areas of the United
trucks, aircraft, computers, and power foundry sand used in casting iron and
States. Most dolomite occurrences are
tools. Many of these applications use steel components and some nonferrous
likely the result of replacement of cal-
magnesium because of its light weight metals. Olivine is used in smaller quanti-
cium by magnesium in preexisting lime-
and ease of machinability. Magnesium is ties for refractories, slag control in blast
stone beds. Magnesite primarily is found
used in the iron and steel industry for ex- furnaces, and soil conditioning. In Eu-
in four types of deposits: sedimentary
ternal hot-metal desulfurization and in rope, olivine is used instead of sand for
beds, alterations of serpentine, vein
the production of nodular iron. Produc- blasting debris from bridges and buildings
fillings, and replacements of limestone
tion of the nonferrous metals, beryllium, and in incinerators.2
and dolomite. Brucite is found in crystal-
hafnium, titanium, uranium, and zirco-
Industry Structure line limestone and as a decomposition
nium, involves the use of magnesium as
product of magnesium silicates associat-
a reducing agent. Anodes of magnesium US. producers of magnesium and mag-
ed with serpentine, dolomite, magnesite,
are used for cathodic protection of under- nesium compounds are shown in tables
and chromite. Olivine generally occurs
ground pipe and water tanks. Small quan- 1 and 2. Olivine is produced by two com-
as granular masses or disseminated grains
tities of magnesium are used as a catalyst panies in the United States—Applied In-
or crystals and is a common constitu-
in producing organic compounds, as dustrial Minerals Corp. (AIMCOR) and
ent of basic igneous rocks such as basalt
photoengraving plates, and in alloys other Olivine Corp. AIMCOR operates two
and ee Dunite is an olivine-rich
than aluminum. mines and processing plants in Indiana,
rock.
Refractory magnesia represents the North Carolina, and Washington, and
largest use of magnesium in compounds. Olivine operates one mine and one
Technology
Refractory magnesia is manufactured processing plant in Washington.
into bricks and other shapes, principally Electrolytic plants in Canada, Norway, Processing.—Metal.—Two thermal
for linings in furnaces and auxiliary the U.S.S.R., and the United States rep- processes currently are in use to recover
equipment used to produce iron and steel. resent 75% of the world magnesium magnesium metal from dolomite—the
Magnesia-base refractories also are used metal production capacity. Smaller Pidgeon process and the Magnetherm
in furnaces in the cement, glass, and non- thermal plants are in Brazil, Canada, process. Both use the same basic chemis-
ferrous metals industries. China, France, India, Italy, Japan, and try, but the Pidgeon process uses an ex-
Caustic-calcined magnesia is used in a Yugoslavia. ternal heat source, and the Magnetherm
variety of applications in the agricultur- The largest magnesite production facil- process uses heat generated by the elec-
al, chemical, construction, and manufac- ities in the world are in China, North trical resistance of the reactants. In the
turing industries. Caustic-calcined Korea, and the U.S.S.R. Together, these Pidgeon process, dolomite and ferrosili-
magnesia is an important component of three countries account for 53% of the con are formed into briquettes and heated
animal feed and fertilizer, providing es- world magnesite production capacity. in a retort under a vacuum. Magnesium
sential nutrients for livestock and plant Japan and the United States account for oxide in the dolomite reacts with the fer-
growth. In construction, caustic-calcined 58% of the world’s magnesium com- rosilicon to produce magnesium vapor,
magnesia is used in special cements for pounds production capacity from sea- which is cooled and condensed in a
industrial flooring and in lightweight in- water or brines. Fused magnesia is separate section of the retort. Plants in
2
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS—1990
TABLE | magnesium chloride brines from the
U.S. MAGNESIUM METAL PRODUCERS, BY LOCATION, Great Salt Lake. After adding calcium
chloride to precipitate sulfate impurities
RAW MATERIAL, AND PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN 1990
and removing boron by solvent extrac-
tion, the brine is concentrated further and
Annual
dehydrated in a spray dryer. The result-
Company Plant location Raw material capacity
ing powder is purified, concentrated,
(metric tons)
prilled, and dehydrated to produce anhy-
The Dow Chemical Co. Freeport, TX Seawater 109,000 drous magnesium chloride.4 Norsk
Magnesium Corp. of America Rowley, UT Lake brines 35,000 Hydro starts with concentrated magnesi-
Northwest Alloys Inc. Addy, WA Dolomite 35,000 um chloride brine. The brine is purified,
Total 179,000 concentrated, prilled, and dehydrated to
produce anhydrous magnesium chloride.
Electrolytic cells used to recover mag-
nesium from either hydrous or anhydrous
magnesium chloride differ from compa-
TABLE 2
ny to company, and most information
U.S. MAGNESIUM COMPOUND PRODUCERS, BY RAW MATERIAL
about cell design and operating conditions
SOURCE, LOCATION, AND PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN 1990
usually are not disclosed. Essentially,
magnesium chloride fed to an electrolyt-
ic cell is broken down into magnesium
Capacity
metal and chlorine gas by direct current
Raw material source and producing company Location a ae
at 700° C. Magnesium is removed from
equivalent) the cell and cast into ingots, and the chlo-
Magnesite: Basic Inc. Gabbs, NV 100,000 rine gas is recycled or sold.
Magnesium International Corp. devel-
Lake brines:
oped a one-step process for producing an-
Great Salt Lake Minerals & Chemicals Corp. Ogden, UT 90,000
hydrous magnesium chloride that was
Reilly Industries Inc. Wendover, UT 45,000 demonstrated at Magnesium Co. of
Well brines: Canada Ltd.’s (MagCan) new plant that
The Dow Chemical Co. Ludington, MI 200,000 opened in 1990. Reacting magnesite with
chlorine gas in the presence of carbon
Martin Marietta Chemicals Manistee, MI 300,000
monoxide in a packed-bed reactor at
Morton Chemical Co. do. 10,000
900°C produces magnesium chloride
Seawater:
and carbon dioxide. Liquid magnesium
Barcroft Co. Lewes, DE 5,000 chloride collects at the bottom of the reac-
Basic Magnesia Inc. Port St. Joe, FL 50,000 tor and is tapped periodically for trans-
fer to electrolytic cells.>
The Dow Chemical Co. Freeport, TX 20,000
Marine Magnesium Co. South San Francisco, CA 15,000 Nonmetal.—Preparing either caustic-
National Refractories & Minerals Corp. Moss Landing, CA 177,000 calcined or dead-burned magnesia from
Total 1,012,000 magnesite involves crushing the magne-
site to various sizes, depending on the
type of material to be produced. After
crushing, magnesite is beneficiated; the
degree of beneficiation depends on the
Canada, Italy, and Japan use this process chloride can be made—hydrous and an-
quality of the ore and its ultimate end use.
to recover magnesium. hydrous. In the preparation of hydrous Lower quality ore often requires heavy-
In the Magnetherm process, calcined magnesium chloride, used by Dow Chem- media separation, magnetic separation,
dolomite, ferrosilicon, and alumina are ical Co., magnesium hydroxide is precipi- and flotation to remove impurities. High-
heated under a vacuum. Alumina reduces tated from seawater by the addition of quality ore may require only screening
the melting point of the slag produced by dolomitic limestone. Adding hydrochloric and hand sorting to produce a material
the dolomite-ferrosilicon reaction to make acid to the magnesium hydroxide of acceptable quality. Caustic-calcined
resistance heating practical. Magnesium produces a neutralized magnesium chlo- magnesia is produced in shaft kilns,
vapor is cooled and condensed in a con- ride solution. This solution is dehydrated multiple-hearth furnaces, or rotary kilns.
densing chamber. The Magnetherm until it contains about 25% water and is Dead-burned magnesia is produced in
process is used in plants in Brazil, France, fed directly to electrolytic cells. rotary or shaft kilns.
Japan, the United States, and Yugoslavia. Magnesium Corp. of America (Mag- In producing synthetic magnesia, sea-
Electrolytic recovery of magnesium re- Corp) and Norsk Hydro A/S use an an- water or brines are treated either with a
quires a magnesium chloride feedstock hydrous magnesium chloride feed for small quantity of lime or sulfuric acid to
that normally is prepared from seawater their electrolytic cells. MagCorp uses remove dissolved carbon dioxide. Then
or brines. Two types of magnesium solar evaporation initially to concentrate calcium hydroxide, in the form of lime or
3
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS—1990
dolime, is added to precipitate the dis- magnesium compound production, with Agency recommended that this waste
solved magnesium as magnesium hydrox- seawater as the most costly source. Ener- product be regulated under subtitle D of
ide. The resulting slurry is thickened and gy costs also represent the largest com- RCRA.?
vacuum filtered to yield a filter cake con- ponent of total operating costs.®
Production.—Domestic production of
taining about 50% magnesium hydrox- Tariffs for magnesium and magnesium
primary magnesium declined by about
ide. The filter cake can be directly compounds are shown in table 3. Deple-
8% and was about 78% of rated yearend
calcined to produce caustic-calcined or tion allowance for magnesium chloride
capacity. An increase in U.S. imports of
dead-burned magnesia, or it can be cal- from domestic or foreign sources is 5%.
magnesium from new plants in Canada
cined and pelletized before dead-burning Magnesium carbonate and dolomite have
and an effort from the domestic
to give specific size and density charac- depletion allowances of 14% from do-
producers to control their inventory levels
teristics. mestic and foreign ores. Depletion allow-
were partially responsible for the produc-
Fused magnesia is produced by fusion ances for other ores are brucite, 10%
tion decrease.
of high-grade magnesite or caustic- (domestic and foreign); and olivine, 22%
Dow announced that its magnesium
calcined synthetic magnesia in an electric domestic and 14% foreign.
businesses, which did not have a formal
arc furnace. After fusion, the material is
corporate identity, were officially united
crushed, inspected to remove any unfused
under the name Dow Magnesium. The
magnesia, and crushed further in a ball ANNUAL REVIEW
company also planned to invest an esti-
mill.
mated $16 million in its Freeport, TX, fa-
Economic Factors Magnesium cility to broaden its product line. One of
the components to be added was a
Costs to produce magnesium metal Legislation and Government Pro-
50-million-pound-per-year direct chill ver-
vary greatly, depending on the feed grams.—On January 23, the Environ-
tical caster. It would enable Dow to
material and the process used. Operating mental Protection Agency (EPA)
produce T-bar ingot in sizes greater than
costs for magnesium production range finalized rules proposed in September
250 pounds and would allow production
from $309 to $2,283 per ton, with ener- 1989 on the regulation of 20 special
of primary and alloyed round billet.
gy costs as the largest component of the wastes from mineral processing under
Caster installation was expected to be
total operating cost. Total production subtitle C of the Resource Conservation
completed in the first quarter of 1992.
costs from seawater sources were lower and Recovery Act (RCRA). Process
than from brines or dolomite sources. wastewater from primary magnesium by Consumption and Uses.—A\though
Magnesium compound operating costs the anhydrous process was temporarily consumption of primary magnesium
also vary depending on source material excluded from regulation under subtitle decreased slightly in 1990, the use of
and processing techniques. Operating C of RCRA. In a draft report to Con- magnesium diecastings continued to grow
costs range from $24 to $425 per ton for gress, prepared by EPA in August, the aS more applications were developed,
TABLE 3
U.S. IMPORT DUTIES
HTS Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN
Item
No. Jan. 1, 1990 Jan. 1, 1990
Magnesium:
Unwrought magnesium 8104.11.0000 8.0% ad valorem 100% ad valorem.
Unwrought magnesium alloys 8104.19.0000 6.5% ad valorem 60.5% ad valorem.
Magnesium waste and scrap 8104.20.0000 Free Free:
Wrought magnesium 8104.90.0000 14.8 cent per kilogram on Mg 88 cent per kilogram on Mg
content + 3.5% ad valorem content + 20.0% ad valorem.
Magnesium compounds:
Crude magnesite 2519.10.0000 Free $10.33 per ton.
Dead-burned and fused magnesia 2519.90.1000 0.4 cent per kilogram 1.7 cent per kilogram.
Caustic-calcined magnesia 2519.90.2000 $2.07 per ton $20.70 per ton.
Other magnesia 2519.90.5000 Free 15.4 cent per kilogram.
Calcined dolomite 2518.20.0000 6% ad valorem 30% ad valorem.
Kieserite, natural sade 2530.20.1000 Free Pree,
Epsom salts, natural 2530.20.2000 3.7% ad valorem 20% ad valorem.
Magnesium hydroxide and peroxide 2816.10.0000 3.1% ad valorem 25% ad valorem.
Magnesium chloride 2827.31.0000 1.5% ad valorem 5% ad valorem.
Magnesium sulfate 2833.21.0000 3.7% ad valorem 20% ad valorem.
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS—1990
TABLE 4
automakers operating in the United
SALIENT MAGNESIUM STATISTICS States. The Japanese joint venture, Nik-
kei Diemakers Co., funded 65% by Nip-
(Metric tons unless otherwise specified) pon Light Metal and 35% by Diemakers,
will provide technical services and sup-
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 port for sale of Diemakers’ products in
Japan. Diemakers was acquired in May
United States:
by Kanematsu USA Inc., a wholly owned
Production:
subsidiary of the Japanese trading com-
Primary magnesium 125,639 124,396 141,983 152,066 139,333 pany Kanematsu Corp., and it reported-
Secondary magnesium 41,807 45,164 50,207 51,200 54,529 ly was the third largest magnesium
Exports 39,909 44,182 49,802 56,631 51,834 diecastings producer in the United States.
Bicycle frames were another emerging
Imports for consumption 8,355 10,851 14,407 12,289 26,755
use for magnesium. In the Jour de
Consumption, primary 78,961 94.620 100,793 105,226 96,108
France run during the year, some en-
Price per pound $1.53 $1.53 $1.58-$1.63 $1.63 $1.43-$1.63
trants rode bicycles with magnesium
World: Primary production 322,408 323,930 334,348 "344.043 ©351,198 frames and claimed that the bicycles were
“Estimated. "Revised. very durable in crashes and could corner
faster than conventional racing bicycles.
A process to make a one-piece bicycle
frame that took 52 seconds to complete
particularly in the automotive industry. pistons. Normally magnesium is not was developed in the United Kingdom.
The current estimate of the magnesium suitable for parts that are subject to a lot In the process, molten magnesium was
content of U.S.-produced vehicles was of wear, but by adding alumina reinforce- quickly injected into a mold and allowed
about 4 pounds per vehicle, but this was ment, it became about five times as wear- to solidify there. Traditionally, individu-
expected to increase significantly within resistant as aluminum. al sections of aluminum or steel were
the next few years. To capitalize on the interest on mag- welded together to construct the frame.
General Motors Corp. planned to in- nesium in structural applications such as With the increased interest in magnesi-
troduce new V-8 engines in some of its automotive components, two research um bicycles, Norsk Hydro planned to
1992 Cadillac models that contain about and development centers opened in 1990. construct a plant in Chelmsford, United
5 pounds of magnesium, and the au- The Institute of Magnesium Technology Kingdom, to produce magnesium bicycle
tomaker announced that these cars would Inc. in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, officially frames. Plant construction was expected
contain an additional 10 pounds of mag- opened in September. The Institute is to be completed early in 1991.
nesium in the induction system and the funded by its membership, which con- Dow Magnesium announced that it
transmission. Chrysler Corp. used mag- sisted of primary producers, processors, would stop production of its Pelamag™
nesium diecastings for the accessory drive converters, and users, and by the Cana- granules at the beginning of 1991. The
brackets in its 2.5- and 4.0-liter 1991 Jeep dian Government. Its principal function granules consisted of a spherical core of
engines. Using magnesium to replace alu- is to conduct research for the private and magnesium encased in a coating of mixed
minum in these components represented public sectors and to expand the world inorganic salts and were used for steel
a weight savings of 2.75 pounds per ve- markets for magnesium products.? Norsk desulfurization. The capacity at the
hicle. Dow produced a prototype mag- Hydro opened its Magnesium Market De- company’s Freeport, TX, plant was ex-
nesium V-8 engine block that weighed velopment Center in Southfield, MI, in pected to be used to produce other mag-
less than 50 pounds for the Dow-owned January. The center’s main goal is to pro- nesium products that were preferred for
demonstration Corvette to promote the vide more comprehensive service to end desulfurization.
advantages of using magnesium in au- users, especially in the automotive indus- In April, Reactive Metals & Alloys
tomotive applications. The prototype en- try, and to work with the end users to de- Corp. (REMACOR) announced the sale
gine block replaced a 135-pound standard velop new applications for magnesium. In of its Reade Manufacturing Div. to Mag-
cast-iron engine block.® addition to equipment at the center, nesium Elektron Ltd., a unit of Alcan
Foreign auto manufacturers also were Norsk Hydro will be able to use the Aluminium Ltd. Reade Manufacturing
using magnesium in several applications. resources of the Institute of Magnesium produced magnesium powder, chips, and
Audi AG of the Federal Republic of Ger- Technology Inc., of which it is a member. granules and supplied these materials to
many equipped some of its sedans with Nippon Light Metal Co. and Diemak- REMACOR for manufacturing desulfu-
a magnesium dashboard bulkhead, which ers Inc. planned to establish joint ven- rization reagents. The transaction in-
was one of the most critical structural tures in the United States and Japan to cluded a long-term contract for Reade
components of the car’s body. By using collaborate on the development, manu- Manufacturing to continue supplying
magnesium, tooling requirements and ad- facturing, and marketing of magnesium REMACOR with its magnesium powder
ditional fabrication costs could be die-cast products. The U.S. joint venture, requirements.
reduced. Nissan Motor Co. of Japan de- to be called Nikkei Diemakers USA and Because of a combination of character-
veloped an alumina-reinforced magnesi- funded 65% by Diemakers and 35% by istics, including light weight, strength, and
um piston that could yield a 40% weight Nippon Light Metal, will promote sales durability, magnesium was selected as the
reduction from conventional cast-iron of magnesium diecastings to Japanese housing for the first totally self-powered
5
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS1—99 0
TABLE 5 rose to 43,800 tons at yearend 1990 from
MAGNESIUM RECOVERED FROM SCRAP PROCESSED IN THE 35,000 tons at yearend 1989. Yearend
1990. inventories represented a 63-day
UNITED STATES, BY KIND OF SCRAP AND FORM OF RECOVERY
supply compared with a 52-day supply at
(Metric tons) yearend 1989.
Canada.—Norsk Hydro Canada Inc.,
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 a unit of the Norwegian firm Norsk
KIND OF SCRAP Hydro, reportedly reached full-scale
New scrap: production by the end of June at its new
40,000-ton-per-year magnesium plant in
Magnesium-base 99
Becancour, Quebec. By the end of
Aluminum-base 17,822 20,867 19,926 19,278 19,464
March, the plant was producing a vari-
Total 18,813 21,712 22,567 20,229 23,456 ety of pure magnesium and magnesium
Old scrap: alloy products. In addition, magnesium
Magnesium-base 3,958 3,857 3,882 4,269 4,277 produced at the plant entered the qualifi-
Aluminum-base 19,036 19,595 PART) 23,702 26,796 cation stages with the major aluminum-
can-stock producers. Near the end of the
Total 22,994 23,452 27,640 27971 31,073
year, Norsk Hydro announced that it
Grand total 41,807 45,164 50,207 51,200 54,529
would expand its casting facilities at the
FORM OF RECOVERY Becancour plant to include production of
Magnesium alloy ingot! 3,925 4,001 3,930 4,494 4,290 magnesium alloy billet in addition to
Magnesium alloy castings Spl 447 438 195 857 primary magnesium billet. This expan-
sion, planned for completion in 1992,
Magnesium alloy shapes _ 1,065 635 301
would give the plant a total annual billet
Aluminum alloys 40,711 43,827 43,125 46,528
production capacity of 30,000 tons. The
Zinc and other alloys W W W W company also announced that it would
Chemical and other dissipative uses W 943 W WwW spend $6 million to construct a magnesi-
Cathodic protection — W W WwW um recycling plant to process home scrap
Total 41,807 45,164 50,207 51,200 54,529 as well as scrap from customers. The
recycling plant was scheduled to reach
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in “FORM OF RECOVERY: Total.”
full operation by 1992.
‘includes secondary magnesium content of both secondary and primary alloy ingot.
During 1990, MagCan was plagued
with operational problems at its new mag-
nesium plant in High River, Alberta.
Initially MagCan had planned to be oper-
radar detector, produced by Cincinnati at $1.43 per pound. In December, Dow
ating at its full capacity of 12,500 tons
Microwave Inc. The magnesium housing, announced that it was reducing its price
per year by the end of the first quarter,
die-cast in three pieces with no addition- by 20 cents to $1.43 per pound, effective
but was only running at about one-third
al machining required, weighed 1.5 December 3 for spot customers and as
of design capacity by the end of April be-
ounces before assembly. Cincinnati _terms permit for contract customers. The
cause the plant was unable to get enough
Microwave’s goal was to create a receiver company cited the need to bring quoted
power out of the reactor transformers.
that would fit in a shirt pocket, take prices closer to actual market prices in
Because of these problems, Alberta
abuse, and operate by battery power both the United States and abroad. Mag-
Natural Gas Co., one of the equal-share
alone for months. Corp maintained its primary magnesium
partners in the MagCan project along
price at $1.63 per pound. At yearend,
Stocks.—Consumer stocks of primary with Magnesium International Corp.,
primary magnesium was quoted at $1.43
magnesium ingot rose from 5,350 tons at reportedly invested an additional $40 to
to $1.63 per pound, and diecasting alloy
$45 million in the project in September
yearend 1989 to 5,428 tons at yearend
was quoted at $1.43 per pound.
to take a controlling interest. MagCan
1990. Consumer stocks of magnesium al-
loy ingot also increased from 849 tons at Foreign Trade.—Plant openings in reached an operating rate of 6,250 tons
per year for 2 weeks in December until
yearend 1989 to 879 tons at yearend Canada resulted in a dramatic increase in
technical problems with some of the
1990. Producer stocks of primary mag- imports of primary metal from that coun-
equipment occurred, and the company
nesium decreased slightly from 20,133 try. Canada supplied 76% of the total
was forced to curtail production. Despite
tons at yearend 1989 to 19,535 tons at U.S. magnesium imports in 1990, which
these operational problems, MagCan ex-
yearend 1990. more than doubled from the 1989 level.
pected that production would reach its
Although total magnesium exports
Markets and Prices.—Quoted pro- full capacity by mid-1991.
decreased, the United States remained a
ducer prices for both primary magnesium Noranda Inc. and Lavalin Industries
net exporter of magnesium in 1990.
and diecasting alloy, AZ91D, remained reportedly were seeking a third partner in
stable during most of the year. Primary World Review.—According to the In- a joint-venture project to construct a
magnesium was quoted at $1.63 per ternational Magnesium Association, 50,000-ton-per-year magnesium plant in
pound, and diecasting alloy was quoted world inventories of primary magnesium East Broughton, Quebec. The companies
6
MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS—1990
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