Magnesite

MgCO3. Natural magnesium carbonate, not very common as a mineral, usually occurring in a ociation with magnesian rocks. It has found use as a refractory material for linings for the converters used in the basic Be emer proce for making steel. Magnesium. Mg. At. wt. 24.3, sp. ht..249, valence II. First isolated by Davy 1808. Silver-white metal; sp. gr. 1.72, mpt. 550° C., bpt. over 1,100° C.; it takes fire at a red-heat and produces an intense white light; burning at the rate of 2 gns. per minute, the light is equal light is equal to 70 candles. It occurs in large quantities in nature, in magnesite, dolomite, serpentine, soapstone, meerschaum, etc. It is very ductile, and can be made into wire or ribbon; decomposes water at 100°, is but slowly acted upon by the air, and di olves easily in the dilute acids, but not in alkalies.