Manganese
🔩 In Your World
Manganese is a critical component in the production of steel and other alloys. It improves the strength, hardness, and workability of steel, making it an indispensable industrial metal. You'll also find it in alkaline batteries. As an essential trace nutrient, manganese plays a vital role in bone formation, metabolism, and antioxidant defense in the human body.
📖 The Discovery Story
Manganese compounds like pyrolusite (manganese dioxide) have been used since ancient times as pigments and to decolorize glass. In 1774, Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele recognized it as an element, but it was his colleague, Johan Gottlieb Gahn, who first isolated the pure metal that same year by heating pyrolusite with charcoal. The name is derived from the Latin word magnes, meaning magnet, which refers to the magnetic properties of pyrolusite.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1246 °C / 2275 °F |
| Boiling Point | 2061 °C / 3742 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Ar] 3d⁵4s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.1% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
While manganese is an essential nutrient, overexposure is toxic. Chronic inhalation of manganese dust or fumes can lead to a serious neurological disorder called manganism, which has symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. This is primarily an occupational hazard for welders and miners.