Manganese, the not so magnetic metal
- Terraquota
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
This article is part of our “One metal a month” series, in which we explore one strategic metal at a time and its role in the energy transition and global supply chains. These materials are increasingly shaping industrial competitiveness and geopolitics, while raising urgent questions about security of supply, recycling, environmental impact and price volatility. This is the April edition of the series.
Manganese has a somewhat ironic name. It comes from “Magnes”, meaning magnet in Latin, because it is often found in minerals which exhibit magnetic properties, without being magnetic itself. Not magnetic itself, but lately still attracting attention, especially alongside nickel and cobalt (articles coming soon about them as well).
It has been part of human societies for centuries, from its use as prehistoric black pigment to its role in modern industry. Today, manganese ranks as the fourth most widely used metal in the world, after iron, aluminium, and copper. Its importance is formally recognized, too, on the European Union’s list of critical raw materials.
Today, manganese ranks as the fourth most widely used metal in the world.
Manganese’s primary use today lies in its role in steel. Around 90% of global manganese consumption goes into steel alloys, where it enhances strength, improves wear resistance, and acts as a deoxidizing agent. It is abundant, relatively cheap in its lower-grade form, and fundamental to construction, infrastructure, and manufacturing.
But manganese is no longer confined to its role in steel. A smooth shift is underway, driven by the global push toward electrification and cleaner energy. A small but expected growing share (currently just 2–3%) of manganese production is now used in batteries, and especially lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles. In this context, manganese is used as very differently: a high-purity, high-value material used in cathodes. It improves battery safety by lowering combustibility, while also boosting energy capacity and extending vehicle driving range.
This emerging role, however, comes with new challenges. Battery-grade manganese differs significantly from its steel counterpart: it requires extremely high purity above 99.95% and achieving this standard is far from simple. Steel-grade manganese is produced through conventional smelting, but high-purity manganese sulphate demands advanced chemical processing, including multiple stages of purification and crystallisation. This makes it significantly more expensive and far less widely available.
As a result, the supply chain for high-purity manganese remains underdeveloped and highly concentrated. China (yes…) dominates the production, accounting for roughly 96% of global production of high-purity manganese products, with the rest being produced in Belgium and Japan. Manganese mining however, is divided among several countries, with South Africa, Gabon and Australia as top 3. Still, for industries and governments and companies aiming to secure reliable inputs for battery production, this market concentration for a specific type of manganese poses a familiar and growing concern.
China dominates the production, accounting for roughly 96% of global production of high-purity manganese products, with the rest being produced in Belgium and Japan.
Meanwhile, demand is set to surge. With the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, manganese demand for battery applications is expected to increase eightfold between 2020 and 2030. What was once a supporting material for heavy industry is now becoming a strategic component of the energy transition.
Manganese is becoming more than just a common alloying element. It is both a backbone of traditional industry and a rising force in technologies shaping the future. Quite a long way from its primary creative use of painting.
Authored by Diane Naffah (Terraquota), reviewed by Irina Chèvre (Terraquota)
28th April 2026
