Magnesium (Mg) components can significantly reduce energy use due to their low densities compared to the majority alloys. Mg alloys are often machined to fit individual cases. However, process mechanics by high-speed dry cutting of Mg alloys are poorly understood. This study focuses on machining ability of biomedical magnesium-calcium (Mg-Ca) alloys. First, it presents a modeling approach of mechanical behavior of Mg-Ca0.8 (wt %) alloy under cutting regimes using the internal state variable (ISV) plasticity model. Then, the ISV plasticity model is implemented to simulate high speed dry cutting of Mg-Ca0.8 alloy by finite element method. Last, machining performance in the context of sustainability is discussed. Excellent surface finish can be achieved in the range of high cutting speeds. Continuous chip formation predicted by the finite element simulation is verified by high speed dry cutting of Mg-Ca0.8 using polycrystalline diamond (PCD) inserts. Chip ignition as the most hazardous aspect in machining Mg alloys does not occur for in high-speed dry cutting with sharp PCD tools. The predicted temperature distribution well explains the reason for the absence of chip ignition in high speed dry cutting of Mg-Ca0.8 alloy. A mechanism of built-up layer (BUL) formation is proposed.