Basic Magnesium, Inc. (BMI) formed in June 1941 as a joint venture between Basic Refractories, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio and Magnesium Elektron, Limited of England. Basic Refractories, Inc. owned mining claims in Gabbs Valley, Nye County, Nevada, which produced the magnesite and brucite needed to produce magnesium metal. Magnesium Elektron, Limited owned the patent for the electrolytic process of extracting metallic magnesium from these minerals.
Alamo Airways was a small air taxi company in Las Vegas during the 1940's through the 1960's. It's owner, George Crockett, opened the Alamo Airport to run Alamo Airways. The site of the Alamo Airport would eventually become the McCarran Airport, with Alamo Airways running out of the new airport until 1967. In 1967, Howard Hughes bought their facility.