Manganese

Refined manganese is a hard, brittle, grey-white metal used almost exclusively as an alloying element rather than as a structural material in its own right. It is an essential component of virtually all steel, where even small additions improve strength, hardness, and resistance to abrasion; higher additions produce Hadfield manganese steel, which is exceptionally tough and work-hardens under impact, making it the preferred material for rock-crushing machinery, rail crossings, and armour applications requiring extreme toughness rather than hardness. Manganese is also used in dry-cell batteries and as an oxidising agent in chemical processes. Its smelting requires an electric arc furnace.