Manganese Ore, Uses, Properties, Importance, Distribution

The main mining areas for manganese are in China, Africa, Australia & Gabon. Know all about Manganese Ore, its Uses, Properties, Importance & Distribution Map in this article for the UPSC exam.

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Manganese Ore

Manganese (Mn) is a hard, brittle metal that is silvery white and belongs to Group 7 of the periodic table. Swedish scientist Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered it while studying the mineral pyrolusite in 1774. Manganese is important for making steel, but it is not used on its own. Most manganese used in iron and steel production comes in the forms of ferro manganese and silico manganese alloys. In blast or electric furnaces, companies combine manganese ores with carbon to create ferro manganese, which is then used to make steel.

You can find manganese deposits in many types of rocks, but they are mostly linked to the Dharwar system. Odisha is the top producer of manganese in India. The main mines in Odisha are located in the central iron ore belt, especially in places like Bonai, Kendujhar, Sundergarh, Gangpur, Koraput, Kalahandi, and Bolangir.

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What is Manganese?

Manganese is a type of metal known as a ferroalloy. It is hard, heavy, and silvery in color. Manganese is mined from both ores found on land and nodules on the deep ocean floor. There are two main types of manganese ores:

Pyrolusite and
Psilomelane

Manganese Resources in India

India is a major producer of manganese, a vital industrial metal used in steelmaking, batteries, and other applications. Here’s an overview of manganese resources in India:

Reserves and Distribution

India has a lot of manganese, with around 432 million tonnes available as of 2022.

Odisha has the most, making up 44% of the total.
Karnataka comes next with 22%.
Madhya Pradesh has 12%.
Maharashtra and Goa each have 7%.
Andhra Pradesh has 4%.
Jharkhand has 2%.

Production and Major Producers

India is a big producer of manganese, making up about 5% of the world’s total. In 2021-22, the country produced 2.45 million tonnes of manganese ore.

Madhya Pradesh is the top producer, followed by Maharashtra and Odisha.

Some major mining companies are MOIL (Manganese Ore India Limited), Sandur Manganese & Iron Ores Ltd, and Tata Steel.

The districts with significant manganese resources in India are given below:

State	Districts
Odisha	Sundargarh Ganjam Koraput
Madhya Pradesh	Balaghat Chhindwara Jhabua
Maharashtra	Bhandara Nagpur
Andhra Pradesh	Srikakulam Visakhapatnam
Gujarat	Panchmahal
Karnataka	Several districts across the state, including Chitradurga, Ballari, and Chikmagalur.
Goa	Bicholim, Sanguem and Sataritalukas

Manganese Ore Distribution in India

State	Percentage of Production
Maharashtra	This country produces approximately 27.66% of India’s manganese. The main belt is located in the districts of Nagpur and Bhandara. High-grade ore can also be found in the Ratnagiri district.
Andhra Pradesh	Manganese production accounts for 13% of total production in India. Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts were involved. Srikakulam district is known for being India’s first manganese ore producer (1892). Cuddapah, Vijayanagaram, and Guntur are among the other manganese-producing districts.
Madhya Pradesh	This country produces approximately 27.59 per cent of India’s manganese ore. The main belt runs through Balaghat and Chhindwara districts. It is simply an extension of the Nagpur Bhandara belt into Maharashtra.
Odisha	Production is currently at 24%. [First in reserves, second in production] Sundargarh has Gondite [regional names] deposits, and Kalahandi and Koraput have Kodurite and Khondolite deposits. Manganese is also mined from laterite deposits in the districts of Bolangir and Sambalpur.
Karnataka	Another major producer is Karnataka, which has mines in Dharwar, Ballari, Belagavi, North Canara, Chikkmagaluru, Shivamogga, and other locations.
Other Producers	Manganese is also produced in Goa, Gujarat, Panchmahals and Vadodara, Rajasthan, Udaipur and Banswara, and Jharkhand’s Singhbhum and Dhanbad. Rajasthan, Gujarat, and West Bengal account for nearly 3% of total production.

Manganese Ore Distribution in World

China is the largest manganese producer, followed by South Africa. Manganese is also widely distributed in India, Ghana, and Brazil.

Country	Regions
China	Guangxi, Hunan, and Guizhou provinces.
South Africa	Postmasburg, Kuruman and west of Kimberly
CIS	Nikopol and Tokmak in Ukraine, Chiature in Georgia, Ulu Teljak in the Urals, Usa in Kuzbass.
India	Balaghat, Vishakhapatnam, Singhbhum, Goa
Ghana	Nsuta
Brazil	Near Mecapa in Amapa, Minas Gerais, Urucum in western Mato Grosso.
Others	Deposits as nodules, especially in the Pacific Ocean.

Manganese Ore Uses

Manganese ore is very useful in many industries because of its special properties. Here are the main uses:

Steel Production:

Manganese is mostly used in making steel. It helps make the steel stronger and tougher.

Aluminum Production:

Manganese is added to some aluminum mixes to make them stronger and resist rust.

Batteries:

Manganese dioxide is used in batteries, like alkaline and lithium-ion batteries, to improve their energy and performance.

Chemical Industry:

Manganese is used to make different chemicals, like potassium permanganate, which is a disinfectant for cleaning water.

Fertilizers:

Manganese helps plants grow, so it is added to fertilizers as manganese sulfate.

Glass and Ceramics:

Manganese is used to add colors to glass and ceramics, creating shades from pink to violet.

Animal Feed:

Manganese is added to animal feed to help livestock grow and stay healthy.

Electronics:

Manganese can be used in making electronic parts because it conducts electricity.

Manganese Ore Importance

Manganese ore is important for several reasons:

Manganese is an extremely hard and brittle silvery grey mineral.
It is always found with iron, laterite, and other minerals.
Manganese alloys are an important component of steel production, and steel is one of the most important indicators of a country’s industrial economy’s growth.
In recent years, the global trade volume of manganese ore has increased, including in India.
India is currently one of the world’s largest manganese ore importers.

Manganese UPSC

India has a diverse range of mineral resources due to its diverse geological structure. India processes the world’s second-largest manganese reserves, after Zimbabwe. India is the world’s fifth-largest producer, trailing only China, Gabon, South Africa, and Australia. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka are the major manganese ore-producing states. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh produce more than half of India’s manganese. This article will explain Manganese Resources in India, which will help you prepare for the UPSC Civil Service Exam in Geography.

Other Important Topics
Wetlands in India	Types of Soils
Mountains of India	Types of Rocks
Land Reforms in India	Energy Resources
Cobalt Ore	Aluminium Ore

Manganese Ore FAQs

Where is manganese found?

Manganese mining is primarily concentrated in China, Africa, Australia, and Gabon. The metal is produced by reducing manganese oxide with sodium, magnesium, or aluminium, or by electrolysis of manganese sulphate. Manganese nodules have been discovered on the ocean floor.

Is manganese safe to eat?

Manganese in food and beverages has not been shown to be harmful in studies. However, some people have developed manganese toxicity after drinking water containing extremely high levels of manganese. Inhaling large amounts of manganese dust from welding or mining work is another cause of manganese toxicity.

Is manganese harmful to humans?

As a result, too little or too much manganese may be harmful. Breathing high concentrations of manganese dust and fumes (e.g., welding) over time has been linked to nervous system toxicity in workers, resulting in a syndrome similar to Parkinson's Disease.

What's manganese used for?

Manganese is a coenzyme that aids in the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and cholesterol. It also aids enzymes in bone formation as well as the immune and reproductive systems. Manganese, in conjunction with vitamin K, aids in wound healing by clotting the blood.

Which food has manganese?

Manganese is found in many foods, including whole grains, clams, oysters, mussels, nuts, soybeans and other legumes, rice, leafy vegetables, coffee, tea, and many spices, including black pepper.