Manganese

Manganese is a chemical element; it has the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. First isolated in the 1770s, manganese is a transition metal with many industrial alloy uses, particularly in stainless steels in which it improves strength, workability, and resistance to wear. Manganese oxide is used as an oxidising agent, as a rubber additive, and in glass making, fertilizers, and ceramics. Manganese sulfate can be used as a fungicide.

Swedish chemist (1745-1818)

type of star with a prominent spectral line due to absorption from ionized mercury

thumb|right|250px|Ferromanganese metal, note mirror-like sheen responsible for German name spiegel

Manganism or manganese poisoning is a toxic condition resulting from chronic exposure to manganese.

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thumb|upright=1.25|Spiegeleisen Spiegeleisen (literally "mirror-iron", —mirror or specular; —iron) is a ferromanganese alloy containing approximately 15% manganese and small quantities of carbon and silicon. Spiegeleisen is sometimes also referred to as specular pig iron, Spiegel iron, just Spiegel, or Bisalloy.