Re: Converting Magnesium Sulphate to Magnesium Chloride?

Ah, a candidate for the Darwin Award.

Pissant wrote:
Can any reader describe a simple chemical process to convert magnesium sulphate to magnesium chloride. On a small scale that can be done with simple home equipment.
From my limited knowledge of chemistry I wondered if dissolving Magnesium sulphate crystals in hydrochloric acid would produce the desired result?

I tried doing this and the sulphate dissolves in the acid OK, and no gasses are given off that I noticed, but does this produce magnesium chloride solution? And what happens to the sulphate group, do we end up with a mixture of dilute sulphuric acid and magnesium chloride solution? Whatever is produced has a very biter taste when greatly diluted with water..

I want to do this as MgSO4 is readily available and cheap, but the chloride, which is harder to come by is I believe more effective as a mineral supplement and is more readily absorbed into the digestive system that the sulphate, which I understand is to a far greater extent excreted by the kidneys.

Also can Sodium chlorite NaClO2 (I think is the formula, as distinct from common salt NaCl) be prepared by reacting hydrochloric acid with say sodium carbonate of bicarbonate, or will one only produce common salt NaCl?

Is there a simple way to make sodium chlorite using some other sodium compound and hydrochloric acid?

I vaguely remember enough high school chemistry to follow basic chemical equations, if someone knowledgeable is kind enough to explain what is happening in the above type of reactions.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


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Relevant Pages

  • Converting Magnesium Sulphate to Magnesium Chloride?
    ... sulphate to magnesium chloride. ... are given off that I noticed, but does this produce magnesium chloride ... Also can Sodium chlorite NaClO2 (I think is the formula, ... common salt NaCl) be prepared by reacting hydrochloric acid with say sodium ...
    (sci.chem)
  • Re: Converting Magnesium Sulphate to Magnesium Chloride?
    ... sulphate to magnesium chloride. ... are given off that I noticed, but does this produce magnesium chloride ... Also can Sodium chlorite NaClO2 (I think is the formula, ... common salt NaCl) be prepared by reacting hydrochloric acid with say sodium ...
    (sci.chem)
  • Re: Converting Magnesium Sulphate to Magnesium Chloride?
    ... sulphate to magnesium chloride. ... Also can Sodium chlorite NaClO2 (I think is the formula, ... common salt NaCl) be prepared by reacting hydrochloric acid with say sodium ...
    (sci.chem)