Plant Nutrition

Magnesium is an essential element for plant growth, as the central core of the chlorophyll molecule in plant tissue. If a plant is Mg deficient, the shortage of chlorophyll results in poor and stunted plant growth. Magnesium also helps to activate specific enzyme systems. Enzymes are complex substances that build, modify, or break down compounds as part of a plant's normal metabolism. Therefore, Magnesium Oxide and Magnesium Carbonate are suitable for the production of a range of magnesium containing fertilizers.

Caustic calcined MgO can be used as an Mg nutrition source in NPK type fertilizers, added in either the neutralization or the granulation stages of the process. The latter also offers the possibility to neutralize any remaining excess acidity.

Another important application is the production of magnesium nitrate as ammonium nitrate stabilizer. Typically, Magnesium carbonate or caustic calcined MgO is dissolved in nitric acid and the resulting magnesium nitrate solution is mixed with ammonium nitrate following co-precipitation and granulation. Magnesium nitrate helps absorb excess humidity in the fertilizer and increase the heat stability of the ammonium nitrate crystals.

Finally, magnesium oxide is also commonly used for direct fertilization of magnesium deficient soils.

Grecian Magnesite offers a wide range of products (powder and granular) under the brand name FERTILMAG, covering the full fertilizer application range.