Abstract: Magnesium is recovered from a superheated gaseous mixture comprising essentially carbon monoxide gas and magnesium vapor by shock-cooling the vaporous composition with a spray of liquid magnesium preferably heated to a temperature near its vaporization temperature. The liquid magnesium is instantly vaporized with a large absorption of high temperature heat and the vaporous mixture is thereby cooled to a temperature somewhat above the vaporization temperature of magnesium. The resultant vaporous magnesium is recovered by condensation to produce a molten magnesium product.