The secondary research process involved comprehensive analysis of regulatory databases, industry publications, trade statistics, government mineral resources reports, and authoritative materials science journals. Key sources included the US Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries, International Magnesium Association (IMA), US Department of Energy (DOE), European Commission Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW), China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA), International Energy Agency (IEA) Critical Minerals Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Trade Statistics, World Bureau of Metal Statistics (WBMS), United Nations Comtrade Database, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Materials Genome Initiative, German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Mineral Resources, Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM), and national geological surveys from key producing markets. These sources were used to collect production statistics, trade flow data, regulatory policy frameworks, patent filings, environmental compliance standards, and supply chain landscape analysis for thermal reduction processes (Pidgeon process), electrolytic processes, recycling technologies, pure magnesium, magnesium alloys (AZ, AM, AS, ZK, ZE series), and magnesium compounds.
Additional secondary sources included S&P Global Commodity Insights, CRU Group Magnesium Market Outlook, Metal Bulletin (Fastmarkets) pricing databases, International Aluminium Institute (IAI) cross-reference data, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards publications, ASTM International B07 Committee on Light Metals and Alloys, Aerospace Materials Specifications (AMS), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) REACH registrations, China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) industrial policies, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), and peer-reviewed journals including Journal of Magnesium and Alloys, Materials Science and Engineering: A, Corrosion Science, and Resources, Conservation and Recycling.