Present levels of utilization of contained magnesium in thousands of short tons. 



World 8,800 



United States 2,200 



Ranges of demand projection to the year 2000. 



Prospective supplies and prices. Resources of raw materials, both land-based and in sea water are 

 virtually unlimited both in the United States and in the rest of the world. Prices of magnesium 

 compounds should remain at present levels indefinitely. 



Most magnesium metal in the United States is traded at a discount of 3 to 4 cents a pound under the 

 quoted price of 35-1/4 cents. The world price is 25 to 26 cents a pound. The difference between the 

 domestic and world price appears to be caused by the present import duty rate of 40 per cent. 



Possible substitute materials. Aluminum can be used in most structural applications where magnesium 

 is now used. Refractories are made from many materials including bauxite, alumina, zirconia, muUite, 

 silicon carbide, and boron carbide. Depending on requirements, many of these may be used in place of 

 magnesia refractories. 



Potential from marine sources. Inasmuch as magnesium is obtained directly from sea water the 

 resource potential is virtually unlimited. Demand and plant capacity will determine how much 

 magnesium is produced from the sea. 



MANGANESE 



Uses. About 96 per cent of manganese used in the United States is consumed in the metal industries 

 and the rest is used in dry cells and in a variety of chemical industries. Manganese plays an extremely 

 important role in the metallurgical technology of the modern steel age. It is used for pig iron and in a 

 series of ferrous alloys used in steelmaking. The principal alloys are ferromanganese, spiegeleisen, 

 silico-manganese, and silicospiegel. Manganese from these alloys serves to remove free oxygen and 

 sulphur in the melt, increases the strength and hardness of steel, and imparts a mobility that permits the 

 steel to be roUed and forged more easily. 



Elemental manganese metal, 99.9 per cent pure, is produced electrolytically from an acid solution of 

 oxide ores. The high purity of this product makes it especially useful for making stainless steel, alloy 

 steels, and manganese alloys of the non-ferrous metals copper, zinc, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, tin, 

 and lead. A relatively small amount of manganese is used in the chemical industry in dry cell batteries, 

 paints, varnishes, ceramics, chemicals, and other items. 



VII-139 



