One of most discussed issues in Light Metal industry is the Chinese Magnesium. It's role and influence become more and more important in the world magnesium market. Most of this material is produced in Pidgeon process. This process uses horizontal steel tubes called retorts, in furnaces and under vacuum. In the retorts mixtures of finely ground calcined dolomite and ferrosilicon formed into briquetters react to form magnesium vapors which are condensed, later melted and refined into ingots. The Pidgeon process was long thought to be uneconomic and obsolete in western. The Chinese producers have used the advantages of excellent raw material, location, large skilled labor supply, and low capital costs to produce magnesium by this process. The Chinese magnesium is being sold at the lowest prices in the world and lower than aluminum on a pound for pound basis, what as a stable supply gives a support to the new application in automotive / electronic industries.
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