Active Mg(OH)_2 plates with a specific surface area (BET) of 250.7m^2.g^(-1) were produced via a facile sintering-hydration route, using Mg(OH)_2 micro-agglomerates with a BET of 13.2 m^2.g^(-1) as the raw material. The raw material were consisted of the un-regular plates with a diameter of 0.5-3.0μm. The sintering of the raw material at 500℃for 4.0 h led to the formation of the MgO porous plates with a diameter of 0.5~2.5μm and a BET of 95.3 m^2.g^(-1). The hydration of the porous MgO at 80℃in water and 1.0 mol.L^(-1) NaOH aqueous solution produced the active Mg(OH)_2 plates with a BET of 85.0 m^2.g^(-1) and 250.7 m^2.g^(-1), respectively. The quick hydration in NaOH solution was considered as one of the major reasons for the formation of Mg(OH)_2 plates with high BET.