What Are MgO Building Products?
How are MgO building products made?
Raw Minerals
MgO Powder
MgO Building Products
Raw minerals containing magnesium, such as magnesite and brucite, are mined from mountains or extracted from seawater. These minerals undergo separating, crushing, and calcining processes to rid them of impurities and form magnesium oxide powder.
Magnesium oxide powder is manufactured in various types and purities. The main ingredient is magnesium oxide, with variations in magnesium oxychloride (MOC) and magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) being the most common for use in manufacturing building products.
MgO boards or panels are an increasingly popular construction material in North America. To make them, MgO powder is converted into a cementitious mix that is combined with fiberglass mesh reinforcement and other additives that contribute to a structural, fire resistant board product.
Where are MgO building products made?
Around the World
China
United States
Raw minerals and materials used to manufacture MgO building products are available in many countries around the globe. China, Brazil, Turkey, the United States, and many other countries supply raw materials and finished goods to the global economy.
China is the largest source of raw materials and finished goods for MgO building products. This is in large part due to the abundance of magnesium in China’s vast mountain ranges combined with the country’s decades of investment in manufacturing of MgO building products.
Manufacturing of MgO building products in North America and the United States is rapidly increasing with large and small building products manufacturers investing in MgO research, development, and manufacturing. MgOBPA members are at the forefront of this work.
What are MgO building products used for?
Walls & Ceilings
Floors & Subfloors
Sheathings & Claddings
The North American construction industry is rapidly adopting the use of MgO panels in the design and construction of exterior walls, interior walls, and interior ceilings due to the ability of MgO panels to provide superior structural strength, fire resistance, weatherability, and durability when compared to common wood and gypsum-based materials.
MgO panels are also increasing in use as nonstructural floor underlayment and structural subfloor sheathing in multifamily and commercial buildings. In these applications, MgO panels provide necessary structural strength with added fire resistance and weatherability, which benefits these projects greatly.
Continued innovation of MgO building products is yielding new beneficial uses, such as for exterior sheathing and cladding materials. MgOBPA members are at the forefront of research and development that is yielding new and innovative uses for MgO building products.