Magnesium die casting alloys are made from primary and secondary
metal, with primary metal accounting for the largest portion.
Recycled magnesium, similar to aluminum, requires only a small
fraction as much energy to produce as does primary. Therefore,
alloys made from recycled metals cost slightly less then alloys
made from primary. However, they are lower in purity and should be
specified only in applications where lower purity is tolerable.
Magnesium “ore” is considered to be limitless, and it is readily
accessible to any nation with magnesium rich mineral deposits, or
salt water sources. Currently (2008) the primary magnesium source
for alloy production is land based mineral deposits. The
secondary source is sea water, which is 0.13% magnesium. Other
salt water sources, such as brine wells and salt lakes, offer
viable supplies.1 These natural sources ensure that
magnesium supplies are readily available.
References
1. Polmear, Ian J. Light Alloys: From Traditional Alloys to
Nanocrystals, 4th Ed., Elsevier, Burlington,
Massachusetts, 2006.
