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Mineral resource of the month: manganese

January 1, 2012

Manganese is a silver-colored metal resembling iron and often found in conjunction with iron. The earliest-known human use of manganese compounds was in the Stone Age, when early humans used manganese dioxide as pigments in cave paintings. In ancient Rome and Egypt, people started using it to color or remove the color from glass - a practice that continued to modern times. Today, manganese is predominantly used in metallurgical applications as an alloying addition, particularly in steel and cast iron production. Steel and cast iron together provide the largest market for manganese (historically 85 to 90 percent), but it is also alloyed with nonferrous metals such as aluminum and copper. Its importance to steel cannot be overstated, as almost all types of steel contain manganese and could not exist without it.

Publication Year 2012
Title Mineral resource of the month: manganese
Authors Lisa A. Corathers
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Earth
Index ID 70044875
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization National Minerals Information Center