A.W. Palumbo
Big Blue Technologies, Inc, Wyoming, United States
Keywords: magnesium metal, calcium aluminate, smelting, metals production, smelting
Despite widespread availability of magnesium ores and compounds, magnesium metal production and supply remain severely constrained in North America. Since the cessation of the sole producer in the U.S., market imbalances have only been exacerbated. As a critical material for energetics, incendiaries, aluminum alloys, and casted and wrought products, magnesium metal has status a material of national strategic importance. Yet, no existing commercial smelting technology is economically viable with a low environmental impact. Presented is the technical and economic feasibility of an aluminothermic (ATR) process method to produce magnesium metal and calcium aluminate cement. While conventional methods are capital and energy intensive, the presented process reduces energy and emissions up to 70 and 98%, respectively. Results from pilot-scale production and customer qualification testing reveal validated techno-economics, flexibility in ore inputs, and zero direct emissions.