Discharge temperatures, magnesium alloys

These metals are all produced by electrolysis of a mixture of molten metal chlorides the electrolyte composition is selected to minimize the process temperature and to ensure that it is the desired metal that is discharged at the cathode. The estimated annual world production of sodium and magnesium is a few hundred thousand tons while that for lithium is only a few thousand tons. The major uses are (a) sodium-manufacture of lead alkyls, isolation of titanium metal, production of several organic and inorganic substances (b) magnesium-organic synthesis, metal alloys (c) lithium - polymer initiation, organic synthesis and batteries. 

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