Aloha, fun & authoritative answers -- no cost, no registration, no passwords, no popups
(as an eBay Partner & Amazon Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases)

Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989

-----

Recovery of Metallic Magnesium from Magnesium Citrate. Is It Possible?

⇦ (tip: readers rarely show interest in abstract questions, but people's actual situations usually prompt responses)

Q. Interested in Magnesium electricity generators

Gadepalli subrahmanyam
- Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
June 12, 2022

A. Hi Gadepalli. Please introduce us to the subject and your situation. Sorry, I have no understanding of what you are talking about.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 2022

I have been working on generation of electricity using magnesium, graphite and an aqueous electrolyte. I find that Magnesium citrate is produced in the process, as a solution.

61452-1

I wished to know whether metallic magnesium could be recovered from either the solution, by electrolysis or by the solid Magnesium Citrate obtained by evaporation of the solution.

Gadepalli subrahmanyam [returning]
Lone researcher - Vizianagaram Andhra Pradesh, India
June 13, 2022

A. Hi Gadepalli. Unfortunately, I think that it is quite difficult to convert magnesium salts like magnesium citrate back into metallic magnesium. Oxidizing magnesium from Mg⁰ to Mg⁺⁺ is easy; going the other way, reducing it from Mg⁺⁺ to Mg⁰ is quite difficult. Please investigate how magnesium metal is conventionally obtained from magnesium chloride; recovering it from magnesium citrate would be very similar.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 2022

Q. Magnesium Citrate could perhaps be converted to its insoluble hydroxide by addition of Sodium Hydroxide and perhaps it would be perhaps easier to extract magnesium metal from it .

Anyway, I have quite a way to go before I recycle magnesium metal.

In the meantime I expect someone to put their brains to work to help me.

Thanks.

Gadepalli subrahmanyam [returning]
Lone researcher - Vizianagaram Andhra Pradesh india
June 13, 2022

A. Again, good luck with it, Gadepalli ... but I would suggest starting by researching how magnesium metal is presently recovered from magnesium oxide and other salts. The general chemistry of magnesium and what that implies regarding potential recovery and refining methods is quite well understood.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 2022

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: