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04/20/2007 -
The Chemistry and Technology of Magnesia (2006)
by Mark A. Shand
ISBN 0-471-65603-8. Wiley Interscience, Hoboken, New Jersey. 2006. Hardcover. 266 pages. $89.95.
In 17 chapters, The Chemistry and Technology of Magnesia covers a wide variety of topics that range from history to economic geology, mining, extraction, processing, properties, applications, and technology. Each chapter is documented by clear figures, diagrams, and a list of references. It is therefore a very useful manual for the student, the engineer, and the plant manager. Magnesia compounds have applications across many different fields, including pharmaceuticals, environmental organizations, waste and water treatment, and industries from steel to agriculture. Among the topics discussed are magnesia in polymer applications and the role of magnesium in animal, plants, and human nutrition.
The historical introduction is excellent (Chapter 1) but surprisingly enough there is no mention of the role played by Sydney Gilchrist Thomas (1850–1885) who introduced magnesia to the industry. It is well known that Bessemer’s invention of 1856 was a turning point in the history of civilization since it made possible the production of steel cheaply, fast, and in large tonnage. But the process failed when iron treated in a Bessemer converter contained phosphorus. It was Thomas who solved this problem in 1888 by substituting the silica lining of the converter—the only refractory material available at that time, by magnesia. Since then magnesia became an essential material for steel production.
The book also lacks production statistics: how many tonnes of the different types of magnesia discussed in the book are produced annually or at least the relative importance of each product (e.g., annual production, cost per tonne, etc). Since the major application of magnesia is in the refractory industry, the author could have elaborated on this topic with advantage. The author gave the phase diagrams of SiO2 – CaO and MgO – SiO2 but did not give other pertinent diagrams such as MgO – CaO and MgO – FeO. Since boron is an important impurity in the manufacture of magnesia from surface waters the author could have added more on ion exchange technology. The index is also too short; for example, “Amerlite” or “ion exchange resins” (page 50) are not indexed. In spite of these drawbacks the book is a valuable addition to the library. It is well produced and fills a gap in the metallurgical and technical literature. The author is with Premier Chemicals in Findlay, Ohio.
For more on The Chemistry and Technology of Magnesia, visit the Wiley Interscience web site.
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