The hydrogen desorption properties of Magnesium Hydride (MgH2) ball milled with cassiterite (SnO2) have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction and thermal analysis. Milling of pure MgH2 leads to a reduction of the desorption temperature (up to 60 K) and of the activation energy, but also to a reduction of the quantity of desorbed hydrogen, referred to the total MgH2 present, from 7.8 down to 4.4 wt%. SnO2 addition preserves the beneficial effects of grinding on the desorption kinetics and limits the decrease of desorbed hydrogen. Best tradeoff - activation energy lowered from 175 to 148 kJ/mol and desorbed hydrogen, referred to the total MgH2 present, lowered from 7.8 to 6.8 wt% - was obtained by comilling MgH2 with 20 wt% SnO2. Copyright (C) 2013, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.