Magnesium fluoride

Magnesium fluoride (also called magnesium difluoride) is an ionic compound made of magnesium and fluoride ions. The chemical formula is MgF2. The molar mass is 62.302 g/mol.[1] The melting point of magnesium fluoride is around 1263°C. It occurs naturally in the rare mineral known as sellaite.

Preparation

The most common way of making magnesium fluoride uses a source of hydrogen fluoride and a basic magnesium compound like magnesium oxide or magnesium carbonate.

MgO + 2 HF → MgF2 + H2O

Because hydrogen fluoride gas is very dangerous, people often use solid bifluoride salts like ammonium bifluoride.

MgO + NH4HF2 → MgF2 + H2O + NH3

Magnesium fluoride is also made as a byproduct when magnesium metal is used to reduce fluorides of other metals. For example, the production of uranium metal from uranium tetrafluoride:[2]

2 Mg + UF4 → U + 2 MgF2

References

  1. ↑ PubChem. "Magnesium fluoride". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  2. ↑ F.H. Spedding, H.A. Wilhelm, W.H. Keller (1945-06-26). The Production of Uranium by the Reduction of UF4 by Mg (PDF) (Report). United States Atomic Energy Commission.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


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