Magnesium is a bright white metal that is relatively soft. It is one of the more abundant elements, with an abundance of 23000ppm in the earth’s crust. As a powder, magnesium is extremely reactive, but as a solid it oxidizes slowly in air and reacts slowly in water. It does not occur naturally, but is found together with other elements in minerals such as magnesite (mainly MgCO₃) and dolomite (bicarbonate of magnesium and calcium). Applications of magnesium include its use as a deoxidizer for copper, brass, and nickel alloys, and it is also added to several aluminum-based alloys. It is the basis for high-strength light alloys used in the aircraft and automotive industries
