WAESSRIGE ANODISIERUNGSLOESUNG

An aqueous anodizing solution for anodizing an article of magnesium or magnesium-base alloy which contains, per one liter volume thereof, 20-300 g. of an aluminate, 0.5-8 moles of an alkali hydroxide per one mole of the aluminate, and at least one kind selected from the group consisting of 20-200 g. of a boron compound, 2-50 ml. of a phenol, 2-50 g. of a sulfate, and 5-70 g. of an iodine compound. A process for coloring an article of magnesium or magnesium-base alloy which comprises forming an aluminum oxide-containing layer over a surface of said article and subsequently coloring said layer with an anodized aluminum-coloring dye is also disclosed.