Manganese-Ore
Manganese ore is important in steel manufacturing and as a metallurgical alloy has no satisfactory substitute. It is a chemical element found in many minerals.
Manganese ore is notable because of its silver- grey metal colour with a pinkish tinge about it. It is quite hard while at the same time reasonably brittle. Manganese ore is commonly found in sedimentary deposits or in metamorphic rocks. The most common ore mineral to contain manganese is pyrolusite.
Manganese Ore is Commonly Combined With Iron
Manganese is designated by the symbol Mn and is found in nature as a free element usually combined with iron. It plays an important part in industry in its use as a metal alloy, especially in the manufacturing of stainless steel. It is also one of the 12 most common elements and if it was found to start diminishing from the Earth's surface because of mining it would be readily available via deep sea mining methods.
Manganese Ore Resembles Iron Ore in Many Ways
Manganese ore resembles iron ore in many ways, its colour, its brittleness, its hardness and it is equally as difficult to fuse but it oxidises easily. It tarnishes slowly, and like iron, rusts in water that contains dissolved oxygen. Its common ions being paramagnetic meaning it has a form of magnetism that is attracted when exposed to an outside applied magnetic field.
Manganese Ore Uses:
- Manganese ore is used to alloy with steel to make it harder, an essential requirement when producing construction material. It also alloys well with aluminium to improve its anti corrosive tendencies, a feature that makes it ideal in the production of cans for the storage of beverages.
- Manganese metal is used as a colouring agent in ceramics and bricks where it is an oxidiser and catalyst
- Manganese dioxide is used in black paints to speed up drying time, it de-colours glass, valuable in dry cell batteries and plays an important role in the manufacture of ferroalloys. It was also used in ancient times by cavemen for paintings on cave walls that have been carbon dated back as far as 30,000 years
- Manganese sulphate is important in animal feeds, and as a micronutrient in the production of fertilisers. Both humans and animals need manganese sulphate trace nutrients as a detoxification agent and as a cofactor with enzymes, as it assists the body to absorb Vitamin B1 that helps to strengthen bones and make them more flexible.
- Magnesium ore in the form of potassium permanganate works as an algicide and bactericide in the treatment of water and wastewater
- Manganese phosphating is used to treat corrosion and rust on steel
- Manganese ions are used industrially as colour pigments
Manganese ore is essential to the iron and steel industry because of its alloying, de oxidising and sulfur fixing characteristics. For these reasons manganese ore has been in great demand around the world for many years. The iron and steel industries currently account for about 90 percent of the total amount of manganese ore mined.
The Steel Hardening Ability of Manganese ore was First Known to the Spartans
The usefulness of manganese in hardening steel first became apparent to the steel manufacturers of ancient Greece when it became obvious that ore containing manganese made Spartan steel products harder than that of their contemporaries. However, it was not universally accepted until 1816 that the right amount of manganese combined with iron ore made steel harder. Without making it brittle. In 1912 a patent was registered in the United States to the effect that manganese phosphating via electrochemical conversion protected firearms against corrosion and rust. This process has been used universally since that time.
Australian Mines that produce Bauxite
Gove (NT)
Up to 600 workers employed at the Gove bauxite refinery in the Northern Territory face an uncertain future as Pacific Aluminium suspends alumina production.
Ely (QLD)
The Ely Alcan Queensland Pty Ltd agreement at the Weipa bauxite mine is due to expire in 2041 but an option will give it a further 21 years extension.
Skardon River (QLD)
Gulf Alumina acquired 100 percent of the Skardon River tenement in 2011 from its koalin mining joint partner to develop the mining of bauxite at the site
Weipa (QLD)
The Weipa bauxite mine on the western side of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland is both owned and operated by Rio Tinto Alcan.
Huntly (WA)
The Huntly mine in Western Australia is the largest bauxite mine in the world currently producing about 23 million tonnes of bauxite annually.
Willowdale (WA)
The Willowdale bauxite mine that commenced production in 1984 still processes 10 million tonnes of bauxite a year at the nearby Wagerup Refinery.
Worsley (WA)
The Worsley bauxite mine and alumina refinery in South West Western Australia employs more than 1,800 people and produces 4.6 million tonnes of alumina annually.
South Aurukun (QLD)
The South Aurukun bauxite tenements on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland are held by Gulf Alumina.
Marchinbar Island (NSW)
The Marchinbar Island bauxite deposit in far north Northern Territory could be mined to satisfy a growing demand from China in the near future.
Kwinana Refinery (WA)
The Kwinana refinery in WA employs around 1,000 direct employees with 60 percent living in the nearby towns of Rockingham, Cockburn and Kwinana.
Wagerup Refinery (WA)
The Alcoa owned Wagerup alumina refinery in W.A. has received governmental approval to lift alumina production from 2.6 to 2.65 million tonnes annually.
Pinjarra Alumina Refinery (WA)
The Pinjarra alumina refinery, near Mandurah south of Perth, is an important part of Alcoa's three refinery system in Western Australia.
Portland Aluminium Smelter (VIC)
The Portland Aluminium smelter in western Victoria, a joint venture operation between Alcoa, CITIC and Marubeni, caters solely to the Asian market.
Felicitas (WA)
The Felicitas bauxite project in Western Australia contains a bauxite resource of 220 million tonnes that will give it a life of mine of 25 years
South Of Embley (QLD)
Despite Rio Tinto placing its South of Embley bauxite project in Cape York, Queensland, on hold for 18 months it still considers it a 'good project.'
Bauxite Hills (QLD)
The Bauxite Hills Project on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland is hoping to take advantage of an expected increase in the demand for Alumina.
Bald Hill (TAS)
Australian Bauxite Limited's Bald Hill mine, in Tasmania, is to start production in December, 2014. It is the first new bauxite mine in Australia, for over 35 years.
Urquhart Point (QLD)
The Urquhart Point Heavy Mineral Sands Project in Cape York in Far North Queensland is expected to begin production in mid-2015.
Amrun (QLD)
The Amrun bauxite project in far north Queensland, that was previously known as the 'South of Embley' project has been approved for development and expected to be in production by 2019.
