Invention to make magnesium production cheaper, cleaner: Aust'n scientists

The production of magnesium - a key metal in the manufacture of lightweight and efficient motor vehicles - could be made using up to 80 percent less energy and up to 60 percent less carbon dioxide thanks to a "supersonic nozzle" developed by Australian scientists.

The supersonic nozzle, called MagSonic, was developed by researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), and Dr Mark Cooksey said on Wednesday the development could energize Australia's metal production industry, as the breakthrough would result in cleaner, faster and cheaper magnesium production.

According to Cooksey, MagSonic uses carbothermal reduction and a supersonic nozzle to efficiently produce high quality magnesium by heating the raw magnesia with carbon.

The products of the carbothermal reduction, the carbon monoxide and vapor, are then passed through the nozzle at more than four times the speed of sound to cool the gases in just milliseconds, condensing and solidifying the magnesium vapor to magnesium metal immediately.

"The growth of magnesium use has been limited because it's been too expensive and labor-intensive to produce the metal from ore using traditional processes," Cooksey said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"Our MagSonic technology offers an economically-viable solution to overcome these issues and make clean magnesium more available and affordable to manufacturers."

The CSIRO will work closely with Australian company Enirgi Group to further develop the technology, which could revolutionize magnesium production not only in Australia, but across the world.

"We're delighted to be working with Enirgi Group as our technology and commercial partners, with their experience in developing new processes to disrupt and change industry dynamics." Endit