Mg

Magnesium is a shiny gray alkaline-earth metal. It is the lightest and the third-most-commonly used structural metal. Magnesium compounds are widely used in construction and medicine. Its main applications are aluminum alloys (used for beverage cans, packaging, transportation, etc.), die-casting (alloyed with zinc), desulfurization of iron and steel, and the production of titanium in the Kroll process. Magnesium is also used in the aircraft and automotive industries as construction metal, as well as in electronics because of its low density and good mechanical and electrical properties. Magnesium is mostly produced from seawater, well and lake brines and bitterns (salt solutions). Magnesium production is being attempted from dolomite, coal fly ash, and serpentine. There is a strong global demand in magnesium due to its increased consumption in different industries and current exploration rates may not be able to keep up with that demand. Magnesium is on Canada’s 2021 critical minerals list, meaning that it is essential to Canada’s economic security.