Magnesium for America's Was Effort. This is a scene at the Permanente magnesium plant, one of the country's important defense plants. Here the silver-white metallic chemical element so prized for airplane construction, is being turned out. Magnesium oxide, produced by the heating of magnesite in kilns, is mixed with carbon (petroleum cocke) and heated in vats (see photograph) to 4,000 degrees centigrade, then suddenly chilled in 1/1000 of a second to 380 degrees precipitating the fine powdered magnesium metal. Magnesium besides being most valuable in airplane manufacture is used in the making of explosives, is used in signaling, pyrotechny and photography. By midsummer Permanente is expected to be one of the country's biggest magnesium plants, with six units going. Three explosions have occurred at the plant and men have died. Magnesium is dangerous stuff to handle: in dust form it blows up at contact with air.

Wide World Photos, Inc. · [ca. February 1942]

[Information from item housing] Magnesium ... Magnesium