The same metallic material that sent at least five people to the hospital Tuesday after an explosion and fire at a north-side foundry is used by countless others to soothe an upset stomach.
In its latter form, magnesium from which Milk of Magnesia takes its name is a relatively benign substance, capable of little more than causing stomach cramps if too much is ingested.
But in the former such as that used to make automobile casings at National Magnesium & Aluminum Foundry, 4817 Industrial Road it can be a dangerous material capable of causing major problems for those who work with it.
A silver-white substance that is the lightest metal strong enough to be used for items such as automobile casings and aircraft parts, magnesium has a variety of applications. Steel makers use it to remove impurities from steel, and pipeline companies place it alongside steel pipes to reduce corrosion. Most people come into contact with it in its medicinal form, or in fireworks, where it produces a brilliant white light when burned.
It also has a number of military applications, from flares that light up targets at night to packets used to heat field rations.
While it can be beautiful as a pyrotechnic, magnesium can turn into a beast in a heartbeat.
Magnesium burns at 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit and once it starts, a magnesium fire can be difficult to put out.
Instead of extinguishing it, water accelerates a magnesium fire, and can cause the release of hydrogen gas. If that gas gathers in a concentrated area, it has the potential to trigger an explosion.
Instead of water, foundry workers and firefighters normally use sand or dry chemical extinguishers to put out magnesium fires. Much of the magnesium used in the United States is derived from seawater in a process that also involves dolomite, hydrochloric acid and heat. It also is widely available as scrap in manufactured products such as the automotive casings like those made at the foundry.
At one time, Volkswagens had a lot of magnesium in the motor block, Fort Wayne Fire Department spokesman Bob Amber said Tuesday. A lot of it came from recycled material.
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