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| Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element and constitutes about 2% of the Earth's crust, and it is the third most plentiful element dissolved in seawater. Although magnesium is found in over 60 minerals, only dolomite, magnesite, brucite, carnallite, and olivine are of commercial importance. Magnesium and other magnesium compounds are also produced from seawater, well and lake brines and bitterns. Magnesium compounds, primarily magnesium oxide, are used mainly as refractory material in furnace linings for producing iron and steel, nonferrous metals, glass, and cement. Magnesium oxide and other compounds also are used in agricultural, chemical, and construction industries. Magnesium metal's principal use is as an alloying addition to aluminum, and these aluminum-magnesium alloys are used mainly for beverage cans. Magnesium alloys also are used as structural components of automobiles and machinery. Magnesium also is used to remove sulfur from iron and steel. |
Publications
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Annual Publications
- Magnesium Compounds
PDF Format:
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | - Magnesium Metal
PDF Format:
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | - Appendixes
- Magnesium Compounds
PDF Format:
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
XLS Format:
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | - Magnesium
PDF Format:
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
XLS Format:
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | - Archive
| 1932-1993 | - Recycling-Metals
Quarterly Publications
- Magnesium
PDF Format:
2008: | First Quarter | Second Quarter |
2007: | Second Quarter | Third Quarter | Fourth Quarter |
XLS Format:
2008: | First Quarter | Second Quarter |
2007: | Second Quarter | Third Quarter | Fourth Quarter |
Special Publications
- Fertilizers -- Sustaining Global Food Supplies
FS-155-99 - Flow Studies for Recycling Metal Commodities in the United States
C-1196-A-M - Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States
Data Series 140 - Magnesium, Its Alloys and Compounds
OF-01-341 - Metal Prices in the United States through 1998
- Magnesium (PDF)
- Statistical Compendium
Contacts
- USGS Mineral Commodity Specialist
Deborah A. Kramer
Phone: 703-648-7719
Fax: 703-648-7975
Email: dkramer@usgs.gov
- USGS Mineral Resource Specialist
