SPECIALIZED FOR A VERY LONG "STRENGTH and PERSISTANCE" ENDURANCE IN SILENCE NEEDED+MAGNESIUM as a Metal Variant

A*

CAR STUDY

The following is the complete transcript for Building the Lola T70S:

(0:07) So, the T70S project is where we at Lola have taken our most iconic race car, the Lola T70 that raced in the '60s and '70s in endurance racing, and we've updated it and we've added all the sustainable technology uh into this vehicle that demonstrates our future vision for motorsport.

(0:27) So, we have all the historical drawings that we've scanned and have in the computer archive that we've got here. So, we've then taken all those drawings, recreated them in CAD using our state-of-the-art CAD system that we have here. We've also scanned several temporary T70 Mark IIBs so that we have the complete and accurate representation of the car in three dimensions. And then we've re-engineered that using new materials and new processes.

(0:54) It's completely historically technically correct. It's got the same 500 plus horsepower of the original car.

(1:11) It's the same weight. It's the same 860 kg of the original vehicle. We haven't upgraded the brakes, the suspension, the engine, or the gearbox to deviate from the original heritage specification. But what we've done is altered the processes that we've used to reduce the carbon footprint to make the car as sustainable as possible.

(1:33) So this car has a unique bodywork system that we've developed and patented. So the LNCS, the Lola natural composite system is a composite laminate. So, it's very similar to the modern carbon fiber products that are used on Formula 1 cars and high-end racing cars, except we don't have any petrochemicals in our bodywork system. So, it uses bassalt and flax fibers and it uses a PFA resin derived from sugar cane. It's got a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

(2:05) There's over 100 kg of magnesium on this car and magnesium is manufactured in a very carbon-intensive process currently. So we've developed a process which kind of summarizes how we've gone about this whole vehicle. So our magnesium we extract from seawater using electrolysis. That electrolysis process is powered by solar power. We've changed the shielding gas that we use through the smelting process of the magnesium. And this is the approach that's enabled us to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the magnesium used on this car.

(2:42) So we have worked on the interior in in two aspects. First of all, we've increased the safety aspects of the cars while still being technically historically compliant. We have increased the strength of the seat belt mountings and the roll cage. So anything that we can do that doesn't affect the performance of the car and can improve the safety, we've done that. And then also we've put a light touch to the interior to make it a a nicer, more modern environment, more comfortable environment, and certainly it looks better from a from a driver's position.

(3:14) I've really enjoyed this project. It's been very rewarding. Driving this car will be fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. It's got a huge amount of power. It's got a really low weight. It's a very well-developed car. Its handling will be exhilarating, but it will also demonstrate the unique sustainable materials approach that we've taken to this vehicle. And it will highlight and showcase the sustainability of Lola Cars.

AI ASSISTANCE SESSION
click here!!

Extracting magnesium from seawater is an industrial process that takes advantage of the fact that magnesium is the third most abundant dissolved ion in the ocean (at roughly $1,300\text{ ppm}$). The most widely used commercial method is the Dow Magnesium Process, which converts dissolved magnesium chloride into pure magnesium metal through chemical precipitation, conversion, and electrolysis.

Step 1: Pre-treatment and Clarification

Seawater is pumped into large settling basins. Impurities, suspended solids, and unwanted biological matter are filtered out to ensure the purity of the final product.

Step 2: Precipitation of Magnesium Hydroxide

To separate magnesium ions ($\text{Mg}^{2+}$) from the vast amounts of sodium, chlorine, and other ions in seawater, a precipitating agent is added—typically calcium hydroxide ($\text{Ca(OH)}_2$), commonly known as slaked lime (often derived from oyster shells or limestone).

• Chemical Reaction:
  
  
  $$\text{Mg}^{2+}_{(aq)} + \text{Ca(OH)}_{2(aq)} \rightarrow \text{Mg(OH)}_{2(s)} + \text{Ca}^{2+}_{(aq)}$$
• Result: Magnesium hydroxide ($\text{Mg(OH)}_2$) is a relatively insoluble white solid that precipitates out of the solution and settles to the bottom as a slurry.
  
  

Step 3: Neutralization and Conversion to Magnesium Chloride

The precipitated magnesium hydroxide slurry is separated and treated with hydrochloric acid ($\text{HCl}$). This neutralizes the mixture and converts the hydroxide into magnesium chloride ($\text{MgCl}_2$), a soluble salt.

• Chemical Reaction:
  
  
  $$\text{Mg(OH)}_{2(s)} + 2\text{HCl}_{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{MgCl}_{2(aq)} + 2\text{H}_2\text{O}_{(l)}$$
• Drying: The resulting magnesium chloride solution is evaporated and spray-dried to remove water, producing dry, anhydrous (or partially hydrated) $\text{MgCl}_2$ powder/pellets.
  
  

Step 4: Molten Salt Electrolysis

The dry magnesium chloride is transferred into large electrolytic cells and heated until it melts (at over $700^\circ\text{C}$). Direct electrical current is passed through the molten salt bath.

• At the Cathode (Reduction):
  
  
  $$\text{Mg}^{2+} + 2e^- \rightarrow \text{Mg}_{(l)}$$
  Molten magnesium metal is formed at the cathode. Because liquid magnesium is less dense than the molten salt electrolyte, it floats to the surface where it is periodically skimmed off and cast into ingots.
  
  
• At the Anode (Oxidation):
  
  
  $$2\text{Cl}^- \rightarrow \text{Cl}_{2(g)} + 2e^-$$
  Chlorine gas is released as a byproduct. In efficient industrial plants, this chlorine gas is captured and recycled to manufacture more hydrochloric acid for Step 3, making the loop largely self-sustaining.

International Price of Magnesium (Past Few Years)

Magnesium pricing is heavily anchored by production in China, which accounts for roughly 87% of global output. Over the past few years, the market has experienced massive volatility, shaped by energy constraints, environmental regulations, and shifting post-pandemic industrial demand:

• The 2021 Historic Peak: Magnesium prices hit an all-time record high of approximately 71,500 CNY/T in September 2021. This spike was caused by severe power rationing and environmental curbs in major Chinese production hubs (such as Shaanxi province), which choked off supply while global demand surged.
  
  
• The Correction (2022–2024): As energy crises eased and production capacity normalized, prices retreated sharply, stabilizing significantly through 2023 and 2024.
  
  
• Recent Trends (2025–2026):
  
  
  • Spot prices for magnesium ingot (99.9% min) have largely hovered in the range of 16,500 to 18,500 CNY/T (roughly $2,300 to $2,700 USD/MT depending on the region and export costs).
    
    
  • Throughout 2025 and into mid-2026, prices have experienced modest fluctuations. For instance, trading benchmarks track magnesium around 16,900 CNY/T, supported by steady structural demand from the automotive lightweighting, aluminum alloying, and aerospace sectors, alongside localized pressures from US tariffs on Chinese imports.
    
    

---

Price Comparison: Magnesium vs. Iron and Steel-Type Elements

When comparing magnesium to iron-based elements (such as iron ore, pig iron, and baseline steel), magnesium commands a drastically higher market value. Magnesium is an energy-intensive specialty structural metal, whereas iron and steel serve as high-volume, commodity-grade backbones of global infrastructure.

Commodity / Material	Typical Form / Benchmark	Approximate International Price Range (2025–2026)	Relative Cost Profile
Magnesium	Ingot (99.9% min) / Alloys (e.g., AZ91D)	$2,300 – $3,700 USD per metric ton ( ~16,900 CNY/T)	High Value: Priced as an active structural and alloying non-ferrous metal.
Iron Ore	Fine/Lump (Fe 62% benchmark)	$100 – $130 USD per metric ton (~700–900 CNY/T)	Low Value: Bulk raw material feeding blast furnaces.
Pig Iron / Cast Iron Feedstock	Primary blast furnace iron	$400 – $500 USD per metric ton	Moderate-Low Value: Intermediate material derived directly from iron ore.
Steel (Hot Rolled Coil / Rebar)	Finished industrial structural steel	$500 – $800 USD per metric ton (~3,000+ CNY/T for specific futures indices)	Commodity Scale: Bulk structural metal used extensively in construction and manufacturing.

Key Takeaways from the Comparison:

1. Magnitude Difference: Magnesium is roughly 4 to 6 times more expensive than standard finished steel and up to 25 to 30 times more expensive than raw iron ore on a per-metric-ton basis.
   
   
2. Production Intensity: Unlike iron, which is reduced from iron oxides via highly optimized, massive-scale blast furnace operations, primary magnesium is predominantly produced via the Pidgeon process (thermal reduction using ferrosilicon), which demands immense thermal and electrical energy inputs.
   
   
3. Application Trade-offs: Because of this strict cost premium, magnesium is reserved for high-performance weight-critical applications (such as EV structural components, aerospace housings, and high-end automotive die-castings) where its ultra-low density outweighs its material expense compared to iron and steel.

No, magnesium is not an iron core.

They are fundamentally different types of metals with entirely different chemical properties, atomic structures, and roles in both industry and astrophysics:

1. Chemistry and Metallurgy

• Magnesium (Mg): A pure chemical element (Atomic Number 12) classified as an alkaline earth metal. It is a light, silvery-white metal best known for being the lightest structural metal available (about 33% lighter than aluminum and 75% lighter than steel).
• Iron (Fe): A distinct pure chemical element (Atomic Number 26) classified as a transition metal. "Iron" on its own is a base element, and when alloyed with carbon, it becomes steel—the backbone of global construction and manufacturing.

2. The "Core" Distinction

While the phrase sounds similar to the Earth's core (which is largely composed of iron and nickel), magnesium plays no such structural role in planetary cores. In fact, while magnesium is abundant in the Earth's mantle and crust (bound in silicate rocks like olivine and pyroxene), it is not a primary component of the metallic core.

3. Stellar Nucleosynthesis (Why Elements Form)

In astronomy and nuclear physics, iron occupies a unique place as the ultimate endpoint of stellar fusion in massive stars. Fusion reactions in stars build lighter elements into heavier ones (like carbon, oxygen, magnesium, and silicon), releasing energy all the way up to iron.

• Magnesium is produced during advanced stages of stellar evolution (specifically carbon-burning and neon-burning shells of massive stars) before a star reaches the iron stage.
• Iron sits at the peak of nuclear binding energy. Once a star's core converts primarily into iron, fusion stops producing energy, leading to a supernova collapse.