How is carnallite obtained for magnesium processing?

In the context of magnesium processing, carnallite is obtained through two primary methods:

• Mining: It is extracted directly as an ore from underground deposits.1
• Solution Mining: It is separated from other salt compounds that are brought to the surface through solution mining techniques.1

While natural carnallite is used in industrial electrolytic processes, it often contains impurities. To address this, manufacturers may produce dehydrated artificial carnallite through controlled crystallization from heated magnesium- and potassium-containing solutions to ensure a higher-quality feedstock for magnesium processing.2