The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-03-06
Bureau Of Mines
CONTINUED from Page One)

tl0n OF the problems or the prlnclpal
minerals occurring in that region. To
facilitate the work of the Bureau,
Washington State College provided
space for the Bureaus engineers and
also supplied some technical assist
ants.
The magnesium deposits in the area
were being worked for high grade
magnesite which was used in refrac-
tories. In addition to this magnesite
there were large reserves of low
grade mineral for which there was no
immediate industrial use. A survey |
of the possibilities of producing mag
nesium metal from these deposits was
made in the early part of the pro-
gram, and experiments were under
taken on the preparation of anhydrous
magnesium chloride which could be
used in the production of the metal
by the established commercial pro-
cess.
The only process commercially used
in this country for the production Of
magnesium metal involves the cleo
trolysis of magnesium chloride in
fused salt bath. The raw material
is derived from brine obtained from
saline wells or sea water.
The Bureau started work on the
possibilities of direct production of
magnesium metal from the ore by
reduction with carbon. Experiments
had been made in Europe, and small
plants had been built in which mag
nesia was reduced with carbon in an
electric furnace, and the magnesium
and carbon monoxide vapors chilled
in an atmosphere of hydrogen to pre-
vent reoxidation. Since hydrogen is a
relatively expensive gas and large
volumes are necessary to cool small
volumes of magnesium metal vapor,
and since hydrogen carries with it the
danger of explosions, the Bureau un-
,, dertook to develop new method of
chilling this vapor.
Early experiments in the laboratory
at Pullman indicated that a spray
of hydrocarbon oil could be substituted
for the hydrogen. Laboratory tests
I proved encouraging. Consequently,
| with funds provided by the Congress
e small pilot plant to carry on studies
r on a somewhat larger scale was con-
structed. At the same time a success
e full method was developed for the flo
: tation of the lower grade magnesites
! which enabled the Bureaus engineers
q to use the concentrates produced by
this method in it's process for pro-
1 duction of magnesium metal.
: Pure magnesium is soft and has a
d beautiful silvery luster 1t is about
), a third lighter than aluminium, it's
density being LA as compared with
2.70 for aluminium. 1t is metal of
extremes insofar as it's uses are con-
cerned. In the form of powder or
: foil, it is easily ignited and burns
: with intense heat and light. When
- combined with aluminium it forms an
alloy of light weight and high strength
and is utilized extensively as import
ant construction material, particular
ly in the aircraft industry.
:. Commercial production of mag
y nesium in the United States did not
n begin until 1915 when the World War
y interrupted imports from Germany
- Production which totaled $1,000 pounds
y, in 1915 and reached 284,11 pounds
> in 1918, dropped off after the war
- About 1925 demand for the meta
y gradually began to increase unit
!, sales totaled 1,434,S93 pounds ir
- 1888, then rose rapidly to reach rec.
q q ord peak Of 12,500,00O pounds ir
~ 1910. Largely responsible for this
growth was the use of magnesium
alloy structural products, the pro
, duction of which climbed from Id, ,461
;s pounds in 1880 to 2,365,26O pounds il
~ 1899.
20 During the World War years there
were as many as 5 domestic producer:
Of the metal but by 1920 only two
. remained. The American Magnesium
= Corporation discontinued production il
= 1927, leaving The Dow Chemical Com
4 pany the sole producer of magnesium
in the United States at the presen
time. This firm produces magnesium
,s from magnesium chloride recovered
:, from underground brine at Midland
II Michigan, and from sea water a
=, Freeport, Texas. Recently anothe
: firm has obtained loan from the Re
a construction Finance Corporation t,
~ construct plant on the West Coast.
Almost two-thirds of the domestic
, magnesium is used in fabricated mag
~ nesium products; the remainder i
- consumed in aluminium and other al
~ loys, metallurgical deoxidizing appli
g cations, pyrotechnics, chemicals, etc
~ The aircraft industry accounts TO
O. most of the structural magnesium
% alloy products employed, such as cast
20 jngs, extrusions and sheet The tren,
n aircraft construction is to use evel
greater quantities Of magnesium allo,
70 Der plane because the lightness an,
~ adequate strength of the metal reduce
&c power consumption, increase payload
~ and improve performance. The en-
CINE, wheels and airframe use struc
,ural parts made of magnesium alloy
Magnesium alloy products also ar
~ l. 4 1