Magnesium Sulfate
Magnesium sulfate is inorganic salt (compound) which contains magnesium, sulfate and oxygen, and the chemical formula is MgSo4. It is usually encountered with heptahydrate sulfate mineral absolute (MgSO4·7H2O), known as Epsom salt.
The name of Epsom Salts derives their name from a bitter saline spring in Epsom, Surrey in England, where the salt was produced from the springs that arise where the porous chalk of the North Downs meets nonporous London clay.
Monohydrate MgSO₄ · H₂O is found as compound of mineral diatomit. Daily collection of magnesium sulfate. By the mid-1970s, its production was 2.3 million tons per year, and most was used for agricultural purposes.
Magnesium sulfate anhydrous is used for desiccant thanks to its affinity to water
Anhydrous magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a desiccant in organic synthesis thanks to its affinity for water. During post-treatment, an organic phase is treated with anhydrous magnesium sulfate until it ceases to form hydrated solid, after which the solid is then removed with filtration, decantation, or distillation. Other inorganic sulfate salts, such as sodium sulfate and calcium sulfate, can be used in the same way.
The name of Epsom Salts derives their name from a bitter saline spring in Epsom, Surrey in England, where the salt was produced from the springs that arise where the porous chalk of the North Downs meets nonporous London clay.
Monohydrate MgSO₄ · H₂O is found as compound of mineral diatomit. Daily collection of magnesium sulfate. By the mid-1970s, its production was 2.3 million tons per year, and most was used for agricultural purposes.
Magnesium sulfate anhydrous is used for desiccant thanks to its affinity to water
Anhydrous magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a desiccant in organic synthesis thanks to its affinity for water. During post-treatment, an organic phase is treated with anhydrous magnesium sulfate until it ceases to form hydrated solid, after which the solid is then removed with filtration, decantation, or distillation. Other inorganic sulfate salts, such as sodium sulfate and calcium sulfate, can be used in the same way.
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Physical Properties
- Magnesium sulfate is easily dissolved in water. Especially, since it has excellent
absorption in anhydrous form, it is used for a desiccant.
Magnesium sulfate is the main matter that absorbs the sounds in seawater.
Magnesium sulfate relaxation is the primary mechanism that causes the absorption of sound in seawater subject to frequencies. Lower frequencies are less absorbed by the salt, thus low frequency sound travels farther in the ocean.
Boric acid and magnesium carbonate also contribute to absorption, but salt, phosphorus and sodium chloride has greater absorption.
- Magnesium sulfate is easily dissolved in water. Especially, since it has excellent
absorption in anhydrous form, it is used for a desiccant.
Magnesium sulfate is the main matter that absorbs the sounds in seawater.
Manufacture
Heptahydrate may be made by neutralize sulfate with magnesium carbonate,
or more often it is obtained from natural sources.
On the other hand, anhydrous magnesium sulfate is manufactured only by dehydration of a hydrate.
On the other hand, anhydrous magnesium sulfate is manufactured only by dehydration of a hydrate.
Hydrate
Almost all known mineralogical forms of MgSO4 are hydrates. Epsomite is the natural analogue of "Epsom salt".Copper-containing mineral alpersite (Mg, Cu) SO4 · 7H₂O, another heptahydrate was recently found to occur. However, MgSO4 is not the most famous hydrate due to the recently found Meridianiite, MgSO4·11H2O, which used to be thought to occur on Mars.
Hexahydrite is the next lower hydrate.
Three next lower hydrates-pentahydrite, starkeyite, and especially sanderite—are rare. Kieserite is a monohydrate and is common among evaporitic deposits. Anhydrous magnesium sulfate has been reported from burning coal dumps, occasionally, but never has been treated as a mineral.
The pH of hydrate is 6.0 in average (5.5~6.5). Magnesium sulfate has crystal coordination.
Occurrence
Magnesium sulfates are common minerals in geological environments.Their occurrence is mostly connected with supergene processes.
Some of them are also important constituents of evaporitic potassium-magnesium (K-Mg) salts deposits.
| Chemical Information | Physical & Chemical Properties | Use/Application |
|---|---|---|
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Product Standard
| Category | Unit | Standard | CAPACITY = Production Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| MgSO₄ | % | 15 ~ 23 | - 70T /day - 2,000T/month |
| Appearance | - | Transparent fluid | |
| pH | Based on undiluted solution | 3~8 | |
| Fe | ppm | 5 max | |
| Free acid | % | 0.01 max | |
| Ca | % | 0.05 max |
* Packing unit : Tank Lorry