Question

How is metallic magnesium obtained from magnesium carbonate ore? Write the chemical reaction involved

Answer 1

Metallic magnesium is obtained from magnesium carbonate ore by the following steps:

1) Magnesium carbonate ore is crushed and heated in a kiln to produce magnesium oxide.

MgCO₃ ---------> MgO + CO₂

2) The next step is reduction of the magnesium oxide. The reducing agent is ferrosilicon. The oxides are mixed with crushed ferrosilicon and loaded into reactor. The reaction is carried out at 1500 - 1800 K under very low pressure. Under these conditions the magnesium is produced as a vapor which is condensed by cooling to about 1100 K in steel-lined condensers, and then removed.

2MgO + Si -------> SiO₂ + 2Mg

Answer 2

Explanation:

Thermal decomposition of Magnesium oxide forms magnesium.

• Magnesium carbonate ore molecular formula is $M g C O_{3}$ We cannot obtained directly magnesium from maganesium carbonate ore.

• The chemical decomposition of magnesium carbonate will gives magnesium oxide and carbondioxide.

• The chemical reaction of the above thermal decomposition of the above thermal decomposition is as follows:

                 $M g C O_{3} \rightarrow M g O+C O_{2}$

By the “thermal decomposition” of Magnesium oxide with calcium oxide and silicon to form magnesium metal. The chemical reaction is as follows.

             $2 C a O+2 M g O+S i \rightarrow 2 M g+C a_{2} S i O_{4}$