How are dolomite and magnesite mined for magnesium production?

Dolomite and magnesite are mined and concentrated using conventional methods. These minerals serve as key raw materials in the production of magnesium, which is a highly reactive metal that requires energy-intensive extraction processes.123

Once extracted, these ores undergo further processing to isolate the metal. For instance, in thermal reduction methods such as the Pidgeon process, dolomite is calcined to create magnesium oxide, which is then reduced using silicon. Other techniques, such as the Bolzano and Magnetherm processes, also utilize these materials under specific vacuum and temperature conditions to facilitate the production of magnesium.42