Abstract: High purity magnesium oxide is obtained from a magnesite-containing ore, the impurities of which include calcium compounds. The ore is first calcined and the resulting magnesium oxide is converted to magnesium chloride by leaching with an ammonium chloride solution. Calcium chloride is also produced at the same time. The resulting magnesium chloride and calcium chloride are treated with carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate which can be precipitated and filtered out of the resulting magnesium chloride solution. The magnesium chloride solution is then reacted with ammonium carbonate to produce a magnesium carbonate trihydrate crystal slurry containing ammonium chloride. The ammonium chloride is subsequently removed and returned to the ammonia recovery stage for leaching of the calcined magnesium oxide while the crystals are dried and decomposed into carbon dioxide and magnesium oxide.