Ferro-manganese is used in the steel industry as a desulfurizing agent, a strength enhancer, and a reducing agent. Due to the inconsistent quality of natural manganese ore and the increased electricity consumption in ferroalloy arc furnaces, it is essential to process these raw materials into uniform, high-strength briquettes.
Approximately 90% of the manganese produced is used in steel manufacturing, while the remaining 10% is used for non-metallic applications such as agriculture and animal feed. The most important manganese compounds in this category are sulfates and oxides.
Production of Manganese Sulfate
Manganese sulfate is produced using manganese concentrate in a thermal cell containing MnO₂. The method used for manganese sulfate production involves dissolving pyrolusite in sulfuric acid. Since pyrolusite does not easily dissolve in sulfuric acid, it is first reduced from MnO₂ to MnO at a temperature of 900°C using graphite. The resulting material is then dissolved in sulfuric acid, and after filtration and evaporation of the solution, manganese sulfate is obtained.