Paper
Magnesium chemistry and biochemistry
Published Sep 1, 2002 · M. Maguire, J. Cowan
Biometals
512
Citations
40
Influential Citations
Abstract
Magnesium apparently derives its name from Magnesia, a district in the Volos area of Thessaly in northeastern Greece. It was used to refer to any of several minerals ranging from magnesite (magnesium carbonate or ‘magnesia alba’) to magnetite (manganese dioxide or ‘magnesia nigra’) and also magnesia stone (talc or soapstone), a magnesium silicate. However, there are also two ancient towns in Asia Minor named Magnesia from the Greek word magnes used to refer to the magnetic iron ore discovered in this area. Magnesia could have been derived from magnes but used for another mineral in a different place, just as magnesia in Greece referred to several minerals. Magnesium metal was first prepared by Sir Humphrey Davy around 1810 by making the amalgam of magnesium with mercury and then distilling off the mercury electrolytically (Treneer 1963). Davy named the new metal magnium and the word magnesium was initially used for manganese, derived from the mineral ‘magnesia nigra’. The pure metal is highly reactive and all magnesium in the biosphere is either the free cation Mg2+ in aqueous solutions or some salt or mineral form. There are several common mineral forms of magnesium in the environment. Dolomite [MgCa(CO3)2] derives its name from the Dolomite range in the Italian Alps. The story of the recognition of dolomite and various controversies that have ranged and still range around this mineral makes interesting reading for the historian of science (Hacking 1999; McKenzie 1991). Epsomite (MgSO4 · 7H2O) derives its name from the Epsom district in England, originally south of London but now incorporated into greater London. Epsom water originally came from a spring that arose on the common of Epsom village. Epsomite proved to be a major constituent of the waters. Application proved efficacious in healing of external ulcers, and the water became a destination for the sick. Until the first decade of the 18th century, Epsom was a well-known spa with many visitors partaking of the waters internally, where it acts as a purgative (Sakula 1984). Other minerals containing large amounts of magnesium are olivine (Mg2SiO4), magnesium calcite (MgSO4) and chrysolite [asbestos, Mg3Si2O5(OH)4], as well as garnet and spinel, which also contain aluminum with the magnesium.
Highly CitedMagnesium is a highly reactive metal found in various mineral forms, with applications in healing and purgative properties.
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