The effect of magnesia on the formation of magnetite from aqueous solution

Redox and Mössbauer measurements on the systems Fe(OH)2–Fe(OH)3 and Fe(OH)2–Fe(OH)3–Mg(OH)2 show that the inability to form magnetite above pH 10 in the presence of magnesia is due mainly to an association of magnesium with ferrous iron of magnetite. Suppression is largely complete when the ratio of magnesium to ferrous iron is unity and can be attributed to the formation of a “magnesio-wustite” type sublattice within the magnetite phase.