The extraction of magnesium mainly falls into two groups, i.e. electro-refining (for magnesite) and thermal reduction process (for dolomite). Brief introduction will be given in the following passage.

Thermal reduction process is represented by Pidgeon process, named after its inventor Dr. Lloyd Montgomery Pidgeon. Pidgeon process consists of four stages including calcination of the dolomite, briquetting, reduction and refining.

Electro-refining of magnesium uses magnesium chloride from magnesite or carnallite to produce high purity magnesium ingot. In fused salt electrolysis, electro-refining of magnesium chloride generates chlorine, which can be used for Titanium production where TiO₂ is chloridized to TiCl₄ and then reduced to sponge Titanium when MgCl₂ returns fused salt electrolysis. It is called joint processing of magnesium and titanium production.