Manganese is the fourth most utilised metal globally after iron, copper and aluminium. While it is predominantly used an essential ingredient to the steelmaking process, manganese is a versatile element that has a wide range of other uses, including an important and growing role in the clean energy transition. 

Manganese uses
According to the International Manganese Institute, steelmaking accounts for approximately 97 per cent of global manganese consumption, with manganese added to the process to remove impurities which weaken steel including sulphur and oxygen. Even a small addition of manganese to the steelmaking process (a few per cent) will improve its strength and durability, while high-strength steel, used in construction and transport sectors as well as for wind turbines and renewable energy infrastructure, contain around 13 per cent manganese. 

Manganese is also an important material in global battery production. Lithium-manganese-oxide (LMO) batteries are used in phones and laptops and nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries are widely used in electric vehicles.

Industry analysts Benchmark Minerals and S&P Global project a growing shift to manganese-rich cathode batteries by automakers, due to its relative low cost and stable chemical properties. Western manufacturers such as Ford and General Motors have announced plans to transition to lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) cathode chemistries, which will increase manganese content from approximately 10-15 per cent to around 65-70 per cent. This represents a six- or seven-fold increase in manganese use per battery. Chinese automakers, who have traditionally favoured lithium–iron–phosphate (LFP) batteries, have also begun incorporating manganese into LFP systems to develop lithium-manganese-iron-phosphate (LMFP) batteries, which deliver higher energy density at a comparable cost. By 2035, almost 60 per cent of all lithium-ion batteries are expected to rely on manganese-rich chemistries, reinforcing the commodity’s critical role in the global electric vehicle supply chain. Learn more about manganese’s growing share in EV battery composition, and Jupiter’s strategy to assess the potential to produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) from Tshipi for supply into the EV battery market, in our 2025 Annual Report.

In addition to steelmaking and batteries, manganese also supports a range of smaller but important industries. In the chemical sector, manganese is used as an oxidising agent in various industrial processes. In agriculture, manganese compounds are added to fertilisers and animal feed to support plant and livestock health. Manganese oxides and other compounds are also used as colouring agents in bricks, ceramics, glass and paints, giving them distinctive red and brown colouring. 
Manganese is also gaining relevance in emerging sectors such as stationary storage (large-scale battery energy storage systems), robotics and drone technologies.

While these smaller-scale applications account for less than one per cent of global manganese use, they highlight the metal’s versatility and essential role across multiple industries. 

Manganese supply
The Kalahari Manganese Field (KMF) in the Northern Cape province of South Africa contains the largest land-based deposit of manganese, containing around 75 per cent of the world's known manganese resources. Located in the KMF is the world-class Tshipi manganese mine. Since operations began in 2012, Tshipi has become one of the world’s largest and most efficient manganese producers with the ability to produce 3.4 to 3.7 million tonnes of manganese ore every year. Tshipi has over 100 years of mine life remaining, ensuring a long-term, sustainable supply of manganese to global markets. Read more about Tshipi here.

For a deeper look into manganese, in the video below, Dr Taija Torvela explores the geological formation of manganese deposits, where and how manganese deposits form and shares some other surprising uses of manganese.