Manganese and Chromite
Geography › Mineral and Energy Resources · Topic 21.9
Manganese and chromite are ferro-alloy minerals, used to give steel strength, hardness and rust resistance. Manganese, from pyrolusite and psilomelane, goes mostly into steelmaking and dry-cell batteries. Chromite, the only ore of chromium, goes into stainless steel, refractories and chemicals. South Africa is the leading source of both. In India, Odisha is the leading state for both ores, with Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka producing manganese.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Mineral and Energy Resources
At a Glance
- Manganese ores Pyrolusite, psilomelane
- Chromite use Stainless steel, refractories
- India’s lead state Odisha for both
- Chromite hub Sukinda valley, Jajpur
- Public sector firm MOIL, Nagpur
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Mineral and Energy Resources
Where Does It Fit?
This is the ninth topic of the macro on mineral and energy resources. The previous topic covered copper Indian gold mine Hutti in Raichur, Karnataka…">gold and silver, and this one covers two alloying minerals for steel. The next topic covers tungsten, nickel, molybdenum and cobalt. Previous topic: Gold and Silver. Next topic: Tungsten, Nickel, Molybdenum and Cobalt.
What Are Manganese and Chromite Used For?
| Mineral | Ores and features | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | Pyrolusite (manganese dioxide, up to about 63 per cent manganese) and psilomelane; found in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, often with iron ore | About nine-tenths of manganese is used in steelmaking, where it removes sulphur and oxygen and hardens the steel (about 6 to 7 kg per tonne of steel); also in dry-cell batteries, glass, paints and fertilisers; it has no good substitute in steel |
| Chromite | Chromium and iron oxide; found in ultramafic igneous rocks such as peridotite and serpentinite | Stainless steel (which contains at least 10.5 per cent chromium), chrome plating, bricks for furnaces, tanning and pigments |
Both minerals are processed into ferro-alloys, ferro-manganese, silico-manganese and ferro-chrome, which are added to steel, as in Iron and Steel Industry – Process and Location Factors. Ferro-alloy plants use a great deal of electricity, so they are set up near cheap power as well as the ore. In India the main ferro-alloy plants are in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. The metals also have uses beyond steel: manganese dioxide is a depolariser in the common dry cell, and some lithium-ion battery chemistries use manganese, while chromium compounds are used for tanning leather and for pigments.
Where Are They Found?
| Mineral | World | India |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | South Africa, with the Kalahari field, has the largest reserves and output; Australia, Gabon, China, Brazil and Ghana are also major producers | Odisha (Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Koraput) leads, followed by Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat, Chhindwara) and Maharashtra (Nagpur and Bhandara), the Nagpur–Balaghat belt; also Karnataka (Shimoga, Chitradurga), Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan (Banswara), Jharkhand and Goa |
| Chromite | South Africa’s Bushveld complex, Kazakhstan and India are the largest producers; Turkey and Zimbabwe also have deposits | Odisha has nearly all of the output and reserves, in the Sukinda valley of Jajpur district and in Keonjhar and Dhenkanal; smaller deposits in Karnataka (Mysuru, Hassan), Manipur (Ukhrul), Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu (Salem) |
India is among the top few producers of manganese ore, with output of around three million tonnes a year, but it also imports ore from South Africa and Gabon. MOIL Limited, a public sector firm based in Nagpur, is the largest producer of manganese, from mines in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. India is also among the leading producers of chromite and exports chrome ore and ferro-chrome, though Odisha’s best reserves are being used up and exports of lumpy ore have been restricted from time to time, as in Mining and Quarrying.
What Are the Issues?
- Pollution at Sukinda: chromite mining in the Sukinda valley of Odisha has released hexavalent chromium, a toxic and cancer-causing form of the metal, from mine waste into the water of the Damsala and Brahmani rivers, and the area was ranked among the most polluted places in the world in a 2007 international assessment. Treatment, waste dumps and water supplies have been priorities for the state.
- Quality: much Indian manganese ore is of low or medium grade and needs beneficiation.
- Strategic need: manganese and chromium are critical to steel and stainless steel, so security of supply and the development of recycling matter as India plans a large increase in steel production.
- Ferro-alloy industry: the use of power and the emissions of ferro-alloy smelters are issues, and the industry is seeking cheaper electricity.
As an analytical point, India is well endowed with chromite and moderately with manganese, but both come from the same eastern belt where iron ore and coal lie, so the development of steel, ferro-alloys and stainless steel in Odisha forms one cluster. The challenge is to add value in the state with clean processing rather than export raw ore, and to protect the people and rivers near the mines, as in Distribution of the Iron and Steel Industry.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Facts States and ores asked
- Current affairs Sukinda pollution
- Link Steel inputs
What Came Next?
The next topic describes tungsten, nickel, molybdenum and cobalt. Next topic: Tungsten, Nickel, Molybdenum and Cobalt.
Key People and Terms
- Pyrolusite Main manganese ore
- Chromite Ore of chromium
- Ferro-alloy Iron alloy added to steel
- Stainless steel Rust-resistant chromium steel
- MOIL Manganese Ore India Limited
- Hexavalent chromium Toxic chromium form
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Pyrolusite is the chief manganese ore.
- Sukinda valley is the chromite centre.
- Stainless steel needs at least 10.5 per cent chromium.
- MOIL is based in Nagpur.
- South Africa leads in both.
Do Not Confuse With
- Manganese and magnesium Steel alloy metal versus a light metal
- Chromite and chromium Ore versus metal
- Pyrolusite and pyrites Manganese ore versus iron sulphide
Memory Hook
Manganese hardens, chromium shines; Odisha’s Sukinda gives chrome, Nagpur’s MOIL digs manganese.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for distribution and importance. These points add depth.
- Role Steel alloying
- Place Eastern and central belt
- Risk Pollution and supply
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the distribution and economic importance of manganese and chromite in India and the environmental problems of their mining.”
How to Answer
- Uses Steel and stainless steel.
- World South Africa and others.
- India Odisha and others.
- Issues Sukinda, supply.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is manganese used for?
About nine-tenths of manganese is used in steelmaking, where it removes impurities such as sulphur and oxygen and makes the steel harder and tougher. It is also used in dry-cell batteries, glass, paints and fertilisers. No substitute for manganese in steel has been found.
Which state has the largest reserves of manganese in India?
Odisha has the largest reserves of manganese ore in India, in the Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Koraput districts. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, in the Balaghat and Nagpur belt, are other major producers, and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Goa also have deposits.
What is chromite used for?
Chromite is the only ore of chromium. It is used mainly to make ferro-chrome for stainless steel, which needs at least 10.5 per cent chromium for rust resistance. It is also used for chrome plating, refractory bricks in furnaces, leather tanning and pigments.
Where is chromite found in India?
Nearly all of India's chromite comes from Odisha, particularly the Sukinda valley in Jajpur district, and also Keonjhar and Dhenkanal. Smaller deposits occur in Karnataka, Manipur, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. India is among the world's largest producers of chromite.
What is the environmental issue in the Sukinda valley?
Mining of chromite in the Sukinda valley has released hexavalent chromium, a toxic and cancer-causing form of chromium, from mine waste into water supplies and rivers. It was ranked among the most polluted places in the world in 2007, and treatment of waste and supply of safe water are required.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Pyrolusite is an ore of manganese.
It is manganese dioxide.
2 Chromite is the main ore of chromium.
Used in stainless steel.
3 Odisha produces nearly all of India's chromite.
Mainly from the Sukinda valley.
4 Most manganese is used in the manufacture of glass.
Mostly it goes into steel.
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