Dead-burned magnesite is employed for refractory purposes such as brick and liners in furnaces and converters. Magnesium is an important element in both plant and animal life. Chlorophylls are magnesium-centered porphyrins. Great care should be taken in handling magnesium metal, especially in the finely divided state, as serious fires can occur. Water should not be used on burning magnesium or on magnesium fires.
Natural magnesium contains three isotopes.
Twelve other isotopes are recognized. The incidence of cancer mortality was studied in a cohort of 2391 male workers producing magnesium metal. Exposure to irritative dust or fumes had occurred frequently in the mortality categories. The highest incidence of lung cancer were found in those who were employed at the plant the longest.