MANGANESE (MN)
MEDIUM-HIGH RISK
Overview
A brittle transition metal essential to steelmaking, alloy strengthening, industrial manufacturing, and emerging battery chemistries. Manganese is foundational to the global industrial economy and increasingly important to next-generation energy storage systems.
Strategic importance
Manganese is required for virtually all steel production supporting the defense-industrial base, including armored vehicles, naval systems, infrastructure, and industrial manufacturing. Emerging lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery chemistries may also significantly increase manganese demand as manufacturers seek alternatives to cobalt-intensive batteries for electric vehicles, drones, and military power systems.
Risk score
67/100
Primary use cases
Global supply chain map
Key stats
Known reserves~1.7B tons reserves. South Africa dominates ore; China ~85–90% of battery-grade processing.
# of producing countries4
Global production (2023)—
China share of refining—
Export controls—
Producing countries
Defense & flow
Defense capability exposure
| Capability area | Exposure level | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Defense Steel Production | CRITICAL | 5 |
| Armored Vehicle Manufacturing | HIGH | 4 |
| Battery Energy Systems | HIGH | 4 |
| Naval Shipbuilding | HIGH | 4 |
| Industrial Manufacturing Infrastructure | HIGH | 4 |
| Military Power Storage | MEDIUM | 3 |
Strategic impact
Manganese is foundational to industrial steel production and increasingly important to battery supply chains supporting electrification and military energy systems. A disruption in battery-grade manganese refining or ore supply would affect steel production, armored manufacturing, naval construction, and emerging LMFP battery ecosystems. Although global reserves are abundant, the strategic vulnerability lies in high-purity chemical processing rather than mining itself.
Supply chain control
South Africa / China
South Africa holds major ore reserves; China is central in processing and battery-material supply chains.
Risk indicators
- High-purity battery manganese (HPMSM) processed almost entirely in China
- Producing nations export raw ore without refining — processing chokepoint persists
- Strategic importance elevated by LMFP battery advancement but underappreciated
Risk & challenge analysis
South Africa and Gabon dominate manganese ore exports, but most producing nations lack meaningful downstream refining infrastructure for battery-grade manganese chemicals. China controls the overwhelming majority of high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM) processing capacity used in advanced battery systems. As LMFP battery chemistries gain traction as a lower-cost alternative to cobalt-intensive batteries, strategic exposure to manganese refining concentration is increasing rapidly.
Strategic insight
Manganese historically attracted limited strategic attention because of its abundance and traditional association with steelmaking. However, the rapid advancement of LMFP battery chemistries has elevated manganese into a strategically important energy transition material. The resulting processing concentration risk remains significantly underappreciated relative to lithium, cobalt, or nickel supply chains.
Value chain — key companies
UPSTREAM
Extraction & mining
- South32
- Eramet
MIDSTREAM
Refining & processing
- Chinese processors
DOWNSTREAM
Manufacturing & end use
- Steelmakers
- Battery manufacturers
◎
Key chokepoint
Battery-grade manganese chemicals
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