Manganese

A key input material for stainless steel and other metallic alloys, manganese is also increasingly used in electric vehicle batteries.

Manganese (Mn)

Manganese is an important energy transition material, owing to its common use in lithium-ion batteries. However, by far the largest application of manganese is in steelmaking. South Africa is the leading producer of manganese and holds almost 40% of global reserves, although manganese refining takes place almost entirely in China.

Manganese is associated with only a limited range of ESG issues and from these, pollution is the highest risk. Over the last decade, several NGOs and media reports have highlighted severe health impacts linked to pollution from manganese mining in South Africa, the top producer of manganese, and Malaysia.

Main uses and applications

Manganese is the fourth-most used metal in the world by tonnage following iron, aluminium and copper [1]. There is no suitable alternative for manganese in steelmaking, which remains its largest application by far [2]. Manganese, in the form of ferromanganese or silicomanganese, is used to remove oxygen and sulphur during the process of converting iron ore into iron; it also serves to increase the strength of steel [3]. Additionally, manganese is used as an alloy with aluminium and copper [4].

Manganese offers a low-cost solution for producing lithium-ion battery technology, making it an attractive component of the battery supply chain [5]. Several different types of lithium-ion battery use manganese, including the lithium manganese nickel cobalt oxide battery that is often used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems [6].