Preparation
Although magnesium carbonate is ordinarily obtained by mining the mineral magnesite, the trihydrate salt, MgCO3·3H2O, can be prepared by mixing solutions of magnesium and carbonate ions under an atmosphere of carbon dioxide. Magnesium carbonate can also be synthesized from magnesium hydroxide and carbon dioxide. A slurry of magnesium hydroxide is treated with 3.5 to 5 atm of carbon dioxide below 50 °C, giving soluble magnesium bicarbonate:
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- Mg(OH)2 + 2 CO2 → Mg(HCO3)2
Following the filtration of the solution, the filtrate is dried under vacuum to produce magnesium carbonate as a hydrated salt:
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- Mg2+ + 2 HCO3– → MgCO3 + CO2 + H2O
Read more about this topic: Magnesium Carbonate
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