PRODUCTION OF MAGNESIUM FROM BITTERN AND CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL BY
PRODUCTS
To improve the economics of the El-Mex Salines Co. a study was suggested to utilize the bittern solution. Utilizing the bittern solution will solve a serious environmental problem by getting rid of the bittern solution, meet the demand for magnesium chloride, magnesium metal, chloride gas and save the hard currency used to import these items. The Bittern solution is considered as a byproduct in saline, but it is an ore reserve for many useful elements commercially produced at present based on dolomite, sea water and brine. Sea bittern which is the main raw material in our study is being a massive by product in table salt production industry. It forms a big environmental load on such companies; where the disposal of bittern requires extra expenses for further treatment. Its rich composition in various elements; especially magnesium salts gives bittern increasing economical concern for different industrial applications. It is possible to convert magnesium content in bittern to fertilizer as magnesium ammonium orthophosphate, as one of possible application together with many others such as in the field of chemical industries and renewable energy sources. In the present study, the mechanism of magnesium oxalate precipitation from bittern was investigated using oxalic acid. The global reaction kinetics of magnesium oxalate precipitation from seawater was determined using different molar ratios and varied pH (1-6). The effect of temperature on system kinetics was examined by performing experiments at temperatures between 15 to 80ᵒC. The effect of molar ratio on reaction conversion was investigated from 1:1 to 1:1.8 (magnesium to oxalic acid) at stabilized reaction temperature and pH. The optimized parameters were found to be feasible to produce pure magnesium oxalate with 99% conversion at stiochiometric molar ratio at room temperature and pH=4. The effect of different calcinations temperature was studied from 450 to 1100ᵒC, giving high purity magnesium oxide with excellent morphology at 650ᵒC. Preliminary techno-economic feasibility was presented showing profitable promising study.