Magnesium is one of the easier chemical elements to remember. The symbol Mg is representative of Magnesium and it has an atomic number of 12. Though these little facts are often known, but forgotten, most of us are aware that magnesium plays a role in our health, as well as in the manufacture of products. So just how much do you think that you don’t know about magnesium? Well, read on and find out!

1. In 1808, Humphry Davy produced magnesium using the method of electrolysis with a mercury oxide and magnesia mixture. Davy’s first name suggestion was magnium; however, it was at some point changed to magnesium. In 1831, Antoine Bussy was able to prepare the coherent form of magnesium.

2. Magnesium is a silvery-white metal that is light-weight, but fairly strong. When magnesium is exposed to the air, it will slightly tarnish. When at room temperature, it will react with water; however, it will react much slower than does calcium. The reaction speeds at higher temperatures. It will also react exothermically with the majority of acids.

3. Magnesium is extremely flammable when thinly shaved or powdered, but it can be fairly hard to ignite bulk magnesium. Further, once ignition of magnesium occurs, it can be hard to extinguish. In fact, it can burn in carbon dioxide, water and nitrogen.

4. Stars actually produce magnesium in stable form. Production requires in excess of 3 solar masses and a temperature in excess of 600 megakelvins to fuse neon and helium. This is called the alpha process.

5. Of the more than 60 minerals that magnesium can be found in, only brucite, carnallite, dolomite, magnesite, olivine and talc are considered to be important commercially.

6. Until 1995, the U.S. led the pack in magnesium production, responsible for 45% of the world’s magnesium production. However, China took the lead and now produces an estimated 60% of the world’s magnesium.

7. Magnesium comes in at number 7 for abundance in the Earth’s crust. It is often located in larger deposits of dolomite, magnesite and various other minerals.

8. This element’s name actually comes from a Greek term called Magnesia, which was a Thessaly district. The name clearly relates it to manganese and magnetite, both of which originated in the same area and are separate substances that require differentiation.

9. Magnesium is widely used. In fact, it only trails aluminum and iron in its use in structural metal. Its main uses are in aluminum alloys, die-casting, and the removal of sulfur and titanium production. However, it is also used widely in electronic devices like cell phones, laptops and cameras. Additional uses include: aerospace construction, ribbons and turnings, as an additive, as an alloy, photography, pyrotechnics, flares, in foods, in fertilizers, in refractory materials, bath salts, antacids, supplements, antiseptics, sedatives, in paper manufacturing and in textiles.

10. In patients that have suicidal depression and are showing resistance to treatment, it is often found that the magnesium levels in the cerebral spinal fluid is low.