What are the uses of manganese?

Manganese resembles iron in its appearance, but it is harder than iron and brittle. It is an important component of steel. In fact, 95 per cent of the manganese produced in the world each year is used to make steel! It is also used to form many important alloys.

Apart from making steel, manganese is used to prepare oxygen and chlorine. It is also used to dry black paints. A compound of manganese is used as an additive in unleaded gasoline to reduce engine knocking. Oxides of manganese are used to neutralize the greenish tint of glasses. It was also used in the original type of dry cell battery.

Compounds of manganese were used to colour ceramics and glass since a long time. The brown colour of ceramics is usually the work of manganese. Manganese is occasionally used to make coins as well.

Picture Credit : Google