text: In 1928, Hansgirg invented, and patented, a carbothermic magnesium reduction process while working in his Radenthein laboratory. This was a less costly method of mass-producing magnesium of extremely high purity.  After setting up a pilot plant in Radenthein to produce magnesium, his senior partner, Emil Winter of the Pittsburgh Steel Company, urged Hansgirg to sell the patent rights to the highest bidder. This he did in 1934, and then left Austria for the Empire of Japan. The pilot plant never worked at full strengthit took a lot of accessories, and working with magnesium requires sophisticated equipment and increased caution due to the reactivity of magnesium dust.