Recycling magnesium

Expenses for sodium as reducing agent, on basis of U.S. prices and valency, per pound of titanium produced, identical with those of magnesium. Recycling of sodium chloride produced, through fusion electrolysis cell, offers no appreciable price saving... 

The energy required to melt and cast recycled magnesium is approximately 6.7 MJ/kg (2865 Btu/lb) (74) compared to the 267 MJ/kg (115,000 Btu/lb) to produce primary magnesium by the most efficient technology available. 

The recovery of vanadium from these slags is of commercial interest because of the depletion of easily accessible ores and the comparatively low concentrations (ranging from less than 100 ppm to 500 ppm) of vanadium in natural deposits (147,148). In the LILCO appHcations the total ash contained up to 36% 20 (147). Vanadium is of value in the manufacture of high strength steels and specialized titanium alloys used in the aerospace industry (148,149). Magnesium vanadates allow the recovery of vanadium as a significant by-product of fuel use by electric utiUties (see Recycling, nonferrous LffiTALS). 

After epoxidation a distillation is performed to remove the propylene, propylene oxide, and a portion of the TBHP and TBA overhead. The bottoms of the distillation contains TBA, TBHP, some impurities such as formic and acetic acid, and the catalyst residue. Concentration of this catalyst residue for recycle or disposal is accompHshed by evaporation of the majority of the TBA and other organics (141,143,144), addition of various compounds to yield a metal precipitate that is filtered from the organics (145—148), or Hquid extraction with water (149). Low (<500 ppm) levels of soluble catalyst can be removed by adsorption on soHd magnesium siUcate (150). The recovered catalyst can be treated for recycle to the epoxidation reaction (151). 

PUCI3, and MgCl2 to form a 50/50 mole % NaCl-CaCl salt phase and a molten Am-Pu-Mg-Ca alloy which is immiscible in the above salt(lO). After cooling, the metal phase is cleaved away from the salt phase and the salt phase is analyzed. Little, if any, Am or Pu remains in the salt phase and the salt residues can be discarded to waste. Metal recovery begins by evaporating magnesium and calcium from the residual metal button at about 800°C in vacuum. The americium can then be distilled away from the plutonium in a vacuum still operated at 1200°C, using yttria ceramic vessels to contain the molten metal fraction. The bottoms fraction contains the plutonium which is recycled back into the main plutonium stream. 

Kaisheva A., Iliev I., Milusheva J. Mechanically rechargeable magnesium-air cells with non-aggressive electrolyte. International Congress for Battery Recycling, July 3-5, 2002, Vienna, Austria. 

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