Manganese Ore

Manganese compounds occur in many mineral forms widely distributed throughout the crust of the earth. The most important of these commercially are the oxides which are usually found as irregular masses, but in some places (notably U.S.S.R.) occur as extensive beds of varying thickness and purity. The principal sources of ore have been U.S.S.R., Ghana (the Gold Coast of Africa), India, Union of South Africa, Belgian Congo, French Morocco, Cuba, Brazil, and Mexico. New developments of ore are being conducted in Brazil, British Guiana, French Equatorial Africa, and Northern Rhodesia. The production of the United States normally meets less than 10 pct of domestic manganese consumption. Manganese ore (35 pct or more Mn) is used principally by the ferrous metallurgy industry for production of manganese metal, ferromanganese, and other manganese alloys for use in production of steel ingots and castings. Some manganese is used in the nonferrous industry as an alloying element and cleanser in aluminum alloys, aluminum bronze, constantan, manganese bronze, Monel, Everdur, nickel-chromium resistance alloys, and nickel-silver. The metallurgical uses consume about 97 pct of the total manganese ore requirements of the United States. The balance goes principally for the manufacture of dry cells and for chemicals, with limited amounts for ceramic products, plastics, welding rods and varnish. The Materials Survey on Manganese, compiled in 1952 for Materials Office National Security Resources Board by the Bureau of Mines and Geological Survey, provides an excellent review of resources, reserves, specifications, uses, mining, beneficiation, metallurgical processes and deposits, and is worth referring to for greater details. Mineralogy and Geology The more common manganese minerals with typical characteristics are listed in Table 1 in order of importance. [ ]