Magnesium

Magnesium is a silvery-white alkaline earth metal. In air, it develops a thin oxide coating that helps protect the metal beneath. It is less dense than aluminum, and its lightweight alloys are used in car parts and electronic devices. Burning magnesium gives off a brilliant white light, making it useful in fireworks and signal flares. In nature, magnesium occurs combined with other elements in minerals such as dolomite and magnesite, and as dissolved ions in seawater and salty brines. Industry extracts the metal by heating processed dolomite with a silicon-containing alloy, or by using electricity to split molten magnesium chloride obtained from salty water. Magnesium ions are also essential for the work of many enzymes in living cells.