Pure Mg was employed as a starting material instead of MgH2 in this work. The magnesium prepared by mechanical grinding under H-2 (reactive mechanical grinding) with transition elements or oxides showed relatively high hydriding and dehydriding rates when the content of additives was about 20 wt.%. Ni, Fe and Ti were chosen as metallic transition elements to be added. Fe2O3 was selected as an oxide to be added. Samples Mg-14Ni-2Fe(2)O(3)-2Ti-2Fe were prepared by reactive mechanical grinding, and their hydrogen storage properties were examined and compared with those of a pure Mg sample prepared by reactive mechanical grinding under the same conditions. The Mg-14Ni-2Fe(2)O(3)-2Ti-2Fe sample showed much better hydrogen storage properties than the pure Mg sample. The as-milled Mg-14Ni-2Fe(2)O(3)-2Ti-2Fe sample did not require the activation. This sample absorbs 4.26 wt.% H for 5 min, and 4.41 wt.% H for 10 min, and 4.56 wt.% H for 60 min at n = 2. It desorbs 1.13 wt.% H for 10 min, 2.67 wt.% H for 30 min, and 3.32 wt.% H for 60 min at n = 2. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.