Element 12 · Alkaline Earth Metal
Magnesium
The third most-used structural metal — light, strong, and increasingly important for aerospace and EV lightweighting.
Element Facts
SYMBOL
Mg
ATOMIC NO.
12
ATOMIC WEIGHT
24.31
CATEGORY
Alkaline Earth Metal
PERIOD
Period 3
GROUP
Group 2
In Brief
Magnesium is element 12, a silvery-white alkaline earth metal that is approximately one-third lighter than aluminium and the lightest commonly used structural metal. It was first isolated in 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy. The UK had a significant magnesium industry through WWII (production at Magnesium Elektron, then Manchester) but this has largely closed; China now dominates global supply.
History
Magnesium incendiary devices in WWII (the metal burns brilliantly white at very high temperature). Photographic flash powder from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. VW Beetle gearbox housings were magnesium die-castings from the 1930s.
Uses Today
Magnesium die-cast components in cars (steering wheels, seat frames, instrument panel structures), laptop and camera bodies, and aerospace components where weight reduction is critical. Magnesium alloys (alloyed with aluminium and zinc) provide good strength-to-weight ratio.
Why We Don't Buy It
Why QuickStop Metals doesn’t buy Magnesium:
Magnesium chips and turnings are a fire hazard — they can ignite spontaneously and burn with intense heat that water cannot extinguish. While solid magnesium components from die-casting are technically recyclable, the scrap-yard market is very thin in the UK because volumes are too low to justify dedicated handling and the fire risk is significant. Magnesium scrap goes directly from major OEMs to specialist die-casting recyclers. Small quantities of mixed magnesium are sometimes sold as part of mixed aluminium loads, but at a discount.
Value & Pricing
Pure magnesium ingot has traded at $2,500–10,000/tonne over 2021–2026, with extreme volatility driven by Chinese supply.