Category: Transition metal
Atomic Number: 25
Period: 4 | Group: 7
Block: d-block
Essential in trace amounts, brittle in bulk, and the reason your steel does not shatter in the cold.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Density | N/A |
| Melting Point | 1519.00 K (1245.85 °C) |
| Boiling Point | 2334.00 K (2060.85 °C) |
| Heat Capacity | N/A |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Atomic Mass | 54.9380 u |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | N/A |
| Oxidation States | -3, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7 |
| Electron Configuration |
| Discovered By | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Discovery Year | 1774 |
| Named After | Latin magnes, "magnet" |
Black magnesia
The mineral pyrolusite, manganese dioxide, was used as a black pigment in prehistoric cave paintings and later by glassmakers to remove color from glass. It was called black magnesia, after the Magnesia region of Greece, and was long confused with magnetic iron ore.
Scheele and Gahn (1774)
In 1774 Carl Wilhelm Scheele showed that pyrolusite contained a new element. The same year his friend Johan Gottlieb Gahn isolated the impure metal by heating pyrolusite with charcoal.
The name
The name manganese comes, through Italian, from magnesia, the same source as the name of magnesium.
| ISOTOPE | Neutrons | Natural Abundance | Half-life | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mn-54 | 29 | - | 312.20 days | ε/β⁺ |
| Mn-55 | 30 | 100% | Stable | - |
Data: IAEA Nuclear Data Section, LiveChart of Nuclides, ground-state evaluations, retrieved October 10, 2026. Abundance is the share of atoms in the natural element; a dash means the isotope has no standard natural abundance.
Steel
About 90% of manganese goes into steel. It removes oxygen and binds sulfur, which would otherwise make steel brittle, and it increases strength and hardness. Most steels contain under 1% manganese. Hadfield steel, with about 12 to 14%, hardens under impact and is used for rail crossings, rock crushers and excavator teeth.
Batteries
Disposable batteries: manganese dioxide is the cathode material of alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries: manganese is part of the NMC and lithium manganese oxide cathodes used in electric vehicles.
Other uses
Aluminum alloys: about 1% manganese strengthens the aluminum alloy used for beverage cans.
Chemicals: potassium permanganate treats drinking water and is used as a disinfectant and oxidizer.
Agriculture: manganese sulfate is added to fertilizers and animal feed.
| Earth's Crust | N/A |
|---|---|
| Universe | N/A |