Currently,　the　silicon　thermal　method　is　the　main　process　to　produce　primary　magnesium,　which　is　controlled　by　chemical　reaction　kinetics　and　the　heat　transfer　process　in　the　retort.　However,　the　unbelievably　low　thermal　conductivity　and　point　contact　thermal　resistance　of　the　pellets　greatly　reduce　the　heat　transfer　efficiency,　resulting　in　low　magnesium　production　efficiency.　To　increase　productivity,　the　enhanced　heat　transfer　mechanism　was　studied　in　detail　by　experiments　in　this　paper.　The　results　show　that　temperature　rise　may　not　accurately　reflect　the　enhanced　heat　transfer　effect,　thus　a　synthetical　valuation　method　which　took　total　heat　transfer,　effective　heat　transfer　ratio　and　temperature　rise　into　account　is　proposed.　On　this　basis,　a　new　recycling　technique　which　uses　high　temperature　silicon　carbide　particles　to　enhance　the　heat　transfer　in　the　retort　is　developed.　Then　a　three-dimensional　unsteady　numerical　model　incorporating　the　chemical　reaction　kinetics　and　heat　transfer　was　established　and　used　to　prove　the　superiority　of　this　new　technique　in　terms　of　heat　transfer　efficiency,　magnesium　production　rate　and　production　cycle.　Numerical　results　show　that　when　the　initial　temperature　of　silicon　carbide　is　1373　K,　the　instantaneous　magnesium　production　rate　can　reach　13.2　kg/h　within　30　min　of　heating,　which　is　three　times　that　of　the　traditional　silicothermic　process.　The　production　cycle　could　also　be　shortened　to　240　min,　which　is　half　of　the　original,　and　the　production　efficiency　can　be　doubled.　This　new　technique　can　significantly　improve　heat　transfer　efficiency,　shorten　the　production　cycle　and　reduce　the　production　cost.　©　2022　The　Author(s)