In 1831 Antoine Bussy published the 'Mémoire sur le Radical métallique de la Magnésie' where he described a method of preparing magnesium by heating magnesium chloride and potassium in a glass tube.

For this reason, blood levels of magnesium are not an adequate means of establishing the total amount of available magnesium.

This compound is used as flux in the smelting of secondary aluminium, to reduce or remove the magnesium content of the melt.

Magnesium chloride is the name for the chemical compounds with the formulas MgCl2 and its various hydrates MgCl2(H2O)x.

Calcium, salt (sodium and chloride), magnesium, and potassium (along with phosphorus and sulfur) are sometimes added to the list of macronutrients because they are required in large quantities compared to other vitamins and minerals.

The mnemonic C. HOPKN'S CaFe Mg (to be used as C. Hopkins coffee mug) is used by some students to remember the list as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, sulfur, calcium, iron, and magnesium.