A chemical element
Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. Manganese makes up about 0.1% of the earth’s crust. It is the 4th most used metal on earth in terms of tonnage, behind iron, aluminum and copper. It has numerous applications, including objects made of steel, portable batteries, or aluminium beverage cans. In each case Manganese plays a vital role in improving the properties of the alloys and compounds involved in each specific application. Manganese atomic mass is $54.938044u$.
An essential nutrient
Manganese is a trace mineral or micromineral considered as an essential nutrient which the body uses in small amounts. Your body contains form 12 to 20 milligrams of manganese and requires it for many different processes, such as blood clotting, wound repair, bone tissue formation, immune system.
Naturally ubiquitous in the environment, manganese can be found in rocks, soils, rivers, underground waters and foods such as black tea, chickpeas, coffee, hazelnuts, lentils, oysters, pineapple, spinach, to name a few.
