Magnesium grain refining using vanadium

A process of grain refining magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy including the step of a) providing a melt of the magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy, said melt including a grain refining agent in an amount effective to induce grain refinement of said magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy upon solidification, where said grain refinement in the solidified magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy comprises a reduction in average grain size of at least 50% (percent) as compared with the average grain size without addition of said grain refining agent;

• wherein melting of the magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy is conducted at a temperature of at least 670° C., and the melt is held at the melting temperature for a period of time sufficient to allow for the grain refining agent to become active;
• wherein the grain refining agent is vanadium metal added in the form of pure or elemental vanadium metal, or the grain refining agent is vanadium metal added in the form of a master alloy or pre-alloy of vanadium with one or more alloying elements present in the magnesium based alloy which is being grain refined;
• wherein the grain refining agent is added to the magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy after formation of the melt;
• or the grain refining agent is added to the magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy prior to formation of the melt;
• and the grain refining agent is added to said magnesium metal or magnesium based alloy in an amount of up to 2 wt % (weight percent) equivalent of vanadium metal.