Review and Outlook of China's Magnesium Salt Industry   

By Hu Qingfu, China Inorganic Salt Industry Association

Industrial magnesium compound products include magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride and more than 200 types of other magnesium compounds. They are widely used in many industries - metallurgy, construction, chemicals, auto manufacture, electronics, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture, animal husbandry, biology and communications.

1  Review during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period

1) Capacity generally increased

During the "11th Five-Year Plan" period (2006-2010), the total production capacity of magnesium oxide (MgO) in China grew from 15 000 t/a to 50 000 - 60 000 t/a; its varieties developed from industrial-grade MgO products to fine MgO products, such as silicon steel-grade MgO, activated MgO and electrical-grade MgO; and the average capacity of MgO plants grew from 500 t/a to 1500 - 2000 t/a, increasing by 2 to 3 times. The capacity and output of magnesium hydroxide also developed fast. Its annual output almost doubled, and its total capacity reached 50 000 - 60 000 t/a. The capacity of magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride grew substantially, but the capacity of hydrated basic magnesium carbonate declined. The capacity and capacity distribution of five major magnesium compounds in China in recent years are listed in Table 1.

Table 1 Capacity and capacity distribution of five major magnesium compounds in China (thousand t/a)
Product    Year     Total capacity    Number of producers    Major distribution area
Industrial MgO    2005    15    40    Shanghai, Hebei, Shanxi
    2008    50-60    30-40    Liaoning, Shanghai, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi
    2009    50-60    30-40    
Hydrated basic magnesium carbonate    2005    20    20    Hebei, Liaoning, Shanxi, Hunan, Gansu, Inner Mongolia
    2008    16-20    10-20    Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Sichuan
    2009    10    10    
Magnesium hydroxide    2005    30（50% of which is brucite）    30    Liaoning, Shandong, Hebei, Qinghai
    2008    40-50    30    Liaoning, Hebei, Qinghai, Shandong
    2009    50-60    30    
Magnesium sulfate    2005    619    30    Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shanxi, Shandong, Hebei
    2008    1500-2300    30-40    Liaoning, Shandong, Shanxi, Xinjiang
    2009    1500-2500    30-40    
Magnesium chloride    2005    600    30-40     Liaoning, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Hebei, Qinghai
    2008    900-1000    30-40    Liaoning, Tianjin, Hebei, Jiangsu, Qinghai, Shandong
    2009    900-1000    30-40    

2) Export prices were far less than import prices

The imports and exports of major magnesium compounds in China in 2005 and 2010 are shown in Table 2.

Table 2  Imports and exports of major magnesium compounds in China in 2005 and 2010
Product    Year     Total import volume (ton)    Total import value (thousand US$)    Average import price (US$/t)    Total export volume (ton)    Export value (thousand US$)    Average export price (US$/t)
Magnesite    2005    148.6    102    686.5    63630.2    2289    36.0
    2010    568.8    97    170.7    0    0    -
Fused magnesium    2005    50.6    71    1409.6    361094.6    133182    368.8
    2010    9193.1    3053    332.1    470303.5    288007    612.4
Dead-burned magnesite    2005    2889.8    1879    650.2    757544.2    121902    160.9
    2010    51975.1    7986    153.7    730435.3    220885    302.4
Caustic calcined magnesite    2005    126.7    136    1076.0    144021.6    18516    128.6
    2010    84415.7    14864    176.1    209486.0    44042    210.2
Chemically pure MgO    2005    2180.4    2988    1370.4    25.1    11    427.3
    2010    6351.3    17436    2745.2    615.9    503    816.8
Other MgO products    2005    9798.5    7634    779.1    481192.4    28024    58.2
    2010    4502.9    5100    1132.6    1083463.2    105765    97.6
Natural magnesium sulfate    2005    32.0    25    790.3    10331.9    748    72.4
    2010    101.9    104    1025.9    27360.4    1925    70.3
Magnesium hydroxide and magnesium peroxide    2005    1648.9    1942    1178.1    1723.7    985    571.6
    2010    3400.8    7030&nbs