Mission

CO2 emissions are the primary driver of global climate change. It’s widely recognised that to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, the world needs to urgently reduce emissions. But how this responsibility is shared between countries, governments, businesses, and individuals has been an endless point of contention in international discussions.

It is time for responsible individuals and businesses to step up.

To succeed, a considered and practical approach is required from metal manufacturers. Production of iron, steel, magnesium, aluminium and more contribute over 23% to the annual carbon emissions.

Global CO2 emissions for 2020 were 34.8 Gigatonnes, with magnesium metal production contributing 35.6 Megatonnes, or just over 0.1%.

The transport sector alone emits another 23% of global emissions. Between the two industries, we are responsible for 46% of global emissions. We use "we" here as we acknowledge that we are the problem unless we deliver the solution.

Carbothermic magnesium production has two integral roles in our 1% global emissions reduction target. One we control – the production of magnesium metal – and one we do not, the downstream use of green magnesium metal. The usage of net zero or green magnesium reduces global emissions by 35.6 Megatonnes. Additionally, and critically, magnesium is the lightest of the structural metals. When magnesium replaces aluminium in vehicles it saves 29 tonnes of CO2 emissions over the vehicle's lifetime for each tonne deployed. Carbothermic processing reduces significant carbon emissions, however, it is the downstream impact on carbon emissions in the automotive industry that is the real win. The downstream carbon avoidance credits in the transport sector are oversized compared to CO2 emissions savings in magnesium green metal production. The substitution, for example, of magnesium for aluminium and steel into electric vehicles causes light weighting and provides an extended range of over 10%+ to vehicles.

The move into electric vehicles is real and happening overseas at an incredible pace, accelerated further by COP 26. For automotive and other OEMs to achieve their sustainability declarations they have to consider the sustainable sourcing of materials and components along the complete supply chain. Responsibly sourced net zero magnesium metal will be fed into the supply chain. Every kilogram of net zero magnesium replacing aluminium or heavier metals in the transport sector reduces CO2 equivalent emissions by at least 29kgs over its life.

Today, however, the predominant process for magnesium metal production is the WWII-era Pidgeon process which is emissions-intensive at a range of 27 - 35 tonnes of CO2 produced per one tonne of magnesium metal produced. The Pidgeon process is an inherently inefficient chemical path and difficult to abate due to the inefficacious use of dolomite and ferrosilicon (FeSi) and incompetent use of labour and energy. It is also emissions-intensive, landfill intensive, and very unhealthy and toxic to the communities that host Pidgeon process factories. It will need to be retired for countries to meet their net zero commitments. Production is also concentrated in one country and supply is capricious and opaque. In the lead-up to the 2008 Olympics, without notice all magnesium metal factories in China were closed to allow the unhealthy emissions to disperse. Recently in mid-2021 China again closed many magnesium plants to meet emissions targets. World supply chains require a reliable, sustainable output of magnesium metal to deploy into their supply chains. This was highlighted recently in discussions with one of the world's largest car manufacturers, "we want to deploy magnesium metal into our supply chain as it extends range and safety of our vehicles. However, today, with an opaque, toxic, and unreliable supply chain that is not possible".

Global production of magnesium will increase several fold to 8 million tonnes per annum by 2035 due to magnesium’s light weighting capacity in electric vehicles and the ability to extend a vehicles range.

The Pidgeon process dominated by China produces 90% of the world’s export magnesium metal @ 27 tonnes CO2e/tonne Mg. The electrolytic process (USA/Israel/Brazil etc.) produces the balance of 10% of the world’s magnesium metal @ 18 tonnes CO2e/tonne Mg.

Magnium deploys the carbothermic process and will produce net zero magnesium metal by 2035.