This paper is a report about three new ways to improve the properties of magnesium oxide powder and to develop magnesium oxide into a high-tech ceramic. The first method is the thermal decomposition of MgCl2 to MgO and HCl. The following precipitation by addition of citric acid is described as a second method : Mg++ + NH4OH --> Mg(OH)(2) + NH4+. And finally the mechanical activation of MgO is presented as the third way. Target properties are changed processing steps, a small particle size and a high sintering density of magnesium oxide.