Abstract
A highly selective, sensitive, and inexpensive procedure for the separation of magnesium from brine and seawaters is proposed. The method is based on the separation of the harmful major constituent (calcium) of saline water. This is achieved by floating both calcium and magnesium as their oleates at the pH of saline water (7.5-8.5) to avoid the effect of NaCl on the precipitation of Ca as CaSO
4
. The float is dissolved in HNO
3
/methanol, precipitated as CaSO
4
, and the mother liquor is refloated as pure magnesium oleate. This purity is confirmed by infrared measurements.