Washington, D.C.-based Western Magnesium has achieved production at its commercial pilot plant.

The proprietary continuous reactor is "operating as designed," Western Magnesium said, marking the first time silicothermic reduction in a continuous reactor has been achieved.

Western Magnesium aims to produce magnesium with lower energy costs.

"We are closer than ever to exhibiting how America can run metal production operations in an environmentally sound and sustainable way," executive chairman Ed Lee said.

Once the technology is further refined for full-scale production, it will be installed in a new facility in Ohio.

Construction on the facility will begin in 2023, and will produce more than 100,000 metric tonnes on an annual basis. This plant will have the capacity to produce 10% of the current world demand of the metal, Western Magnesium said.

Earlier, the company had said it was negotiating purchase and joint venture agreements with a variety of companies.

Western Magnesium's technology includes a continuous internally heated reduction furnace with the company's condenser, that will enable the equipment to produce continuously from pit or stockpile to magnesium metal.