A method for reducing impurities in magnesium comprises: combining a zirconium-containing material with a molten low-impurity magnesium including no more than 1.0 weight percent of total impurities in a vessel to provide a mixture; holding the mixture in a molten state for a period of time sufficient to allow at least a portion of the zirconium-containing material to react with at least a portion of the impurities and form intermetallic compounds; and separating at least a portion of the molten magnesium in the mixture from at least a portion of the intermetallic compounds to provide a purified magnesium, wherein the purified magnesium includes an increased level of zirconium compared to the low-impurity magnesium, wherein the purified magnesium includes greater than 1000 ppm zirconium, and wherein the purified magnesium includes a reduced level of impurities other than zirconium compared to the low-impurity magnesium. A purified magnesium including at least 1000 ppm zirconium and methods for producing zirconium metal using magnesium reductant also are disclosed.