Alloys of Magnesium

Abstract

MAGNESIUM, the sixth most abundant element in the world, was first made commercially in 1857, and in the last twenty years its price has dropped from 25s. to 1s. 3d. a pound. The recent demand for lightness in construction has led to a great deal of research being undertaken in many countries on the possibility of using magnesium alloys in place of the heavier aluminium alloys as engineering materials, and the results obtained are scattered in many scientific and technical journals. The Metallurgy Research Board of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research arranged for the results to be summarized by Dr. J. L. Haughton and W. E. Prytherch*.