Glossary

Manganese is a hard, brittle, silvery-gray metal with the chemical symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a transition metal that plays a crucial role in metallurgy, manufacturing, and biology. While not magnetic in its pure form, it is essential in steelmaking and alloy production due to its strength-enhancing and deoxidizing properties.

In industry, manganese is most widely used as an alloying element in steel—in fact, around 90% of all manganese produced goes into steel manufacturing. When added to iron, manganese improves tensile strength, hardness, and resistance to wear and impact, while also removing oxygen and sulfur impurities during smelting. Manganese steel (also known as Hadfield steel) is famous for its exceptional toughness and wear resistance, making it ideal for railway tracks, rock crushers, armor plating, and heavy machinery.

Manganese is also used in aluminum alloys to increase corrosion resistance and strength, and in batteries, especially alkaline and lithium-ion types, where it appears as manganese dioxide (MnO₂) in the cathode.

Chemically, manganese forms a wide range of oxides and compounds, with oxidation states from +2 to +7, giving rise to colorful salts used in glassmaking, pigments, and fertilizers. For example, potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) is a deep purple compound used as a powerful oxidizing agent in water treatment and chemical laboratories.

Biologically, manganese is an essential trace element required for enzyme function in both humans and plants. It supports bone formation, metabolism, and antioxidant activity, though excessive exposure to manganese dust or fumes (as in mining or welding) can cause neurological disorders known as manganism, similar to Parkinson’s disease.

Manganese occurs naturally in minerals such as pyrolusite (MnO₂) and rhodochrosite (MnCO₃), and major producers include South Africa, Australia, China, and Gabon.

AKA: Hadfield Steel