Why Magnesium Chloride (Hexahydrate Magnesium Chloride & Anhydrous Magnesium Chloride) Is Called Magnesium Salt

Customers recently inquired about purchasing magnesium salts. When we mentioned magnesium chloride products, they raised a question: Is magnesium chloride magnesium salt?

Strictly speaking, both hexahydrate magnesium chloride and anhydrous magnesium chloride fall under the category of magnesium salts. Magnesium salts represent a broad product category, and magnesium chloride is merely one type within this group. This category also covers many other products. For instance, hexahydrate magnesium chloride includes brine flakes, granules and powder, available in specifications such as 46% and 47% concentration, all collectively referred to as hexahydrate magnesium chloride.

Chemical Definition of Magnesium Salts：

A salt consists of metal cations and acid radical anions.

 Magnesium chloride chemical formula: ‌MgCl₂‌
Cation: ‌Mg²⁺‌ (magnesium ion)
Anion: ‌Cl⁻‌ (hydrochloric acid radical, chloride ion) 

 All salts primarily containing magnesium cations are collectively defined as magnesium salt. Therefore, magnesium chloride is one of the common magnesium salts. Other examples of magnesium salts for your reference: magnesium sulfate MgSO4, magnesium carbonate MgCO3, etc.

Let us further explain brine flakes. Traditionally, brine flakes are produced by purifying, concentrating and cooling bitter brine from salt fields to form thin crystalline sheets, hence the industrial name "brine flakes". With decades of industry development and rising quality requirements from end users, some manufacturers have upgraded raw materials and production techniques, adopting chemical synthesis (also known as the acid synthesis process), whereby magnesium oxide reacts with hydrochloric acid to produce the product. Chemically, the finished product remains identical, but raw materials differ between the two production routes. Nevertheless, the product name remains unchanged. Differences are mainly reflected in technical specifications, product quality and applicable scenarios.

In conclusion: magnesium chloride (hexahydrate magnesium chloride & anhydrous magnesium chloride) is just one product among magnesium salts.