Seawater Mg²⁺ is precipitated with lime as Mg(OH)2, converted to MgCl2, dried and electrolyzed molten at ~700 °C. The Pidgeon process reduces dolomite with ferrosilicon in vacuum retorts at ~1200 °C; Mg vapor condenses on cold sleeves.
Research Elements Mg · atomic number 12 Alkaline earth metal · period 3, group 2 [Ne] 3s2 Shells: 2, 8, 2 Valence electrons: 2 in the outer shell (3s2) Green dots are the outer shell's s and p electrons. Softer green dots are the d electrons of transition metals, and the d and f electrons of lanthanides and actinides: they often take part in bonding, but not always. Grey dots are the core. Ground-state configuration from the NIST Atomic Spectra Database (A. Kramida, Yu. Ralchenko, J. Reader and the NIST ASD Team). Abundance is the mole fraction of the element found as that isotope on Earth; digits in parentheses are the uncertainty in the last digits. Masses and abundances from NIST, Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions (J. S. Coursey, D. J. Schwab, J. J. Tsai and R. A. Dragoset, National Institute of Standards and Technology).Magnesium
Electrons
How it's obtained
Natural isotopes
Isotope Relative atomic mass Abundance 24Mg 23.985041697(14) 0.7899(4) 25Mg 24.985836976(50) 0.1000(1) 26Mg 25.982592968(31) 0.1101(3)