STRUCTURE MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is a alkaline earth metal with symbol Mg, atomic number 12 and its common oxidation
number is +2. It is the eleventh-most-abundant element by mass in the human body, and the fourth-most-
common element in the Earth as a whole (behind iron, oxygen and silicon), making up 13% of the planet's
mass and a large fraction of the planet's mantle. 1

Magnesium is highly reactive (once produced, it is

coated by thin layer of oxide), so the free element (metal) is not found naturally on Earth. 1,2 Magnesium
can be found in many different forms, bonded with other atoms, such as: magnesium chloride
found naturally in the sea, magnesite, the insoluble rock salt also known as magnesium
carbonate, in plant matter, as the central element in chlorophyll. 2 One readily accessible and easily
absorbed form of magnesium is magnesium chloride. Because it is soluble in water, magnesium chloride
readily dissociates, increasing rate of absorption. 1,2

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium
2. http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-benefits/what-is-function/