Manganese(II,III) oxide a weighting agent while drilling reservoir sections in oil and gas wells. Manganese(II,III) oxide Manganese(II,III) oxide is the chemical compound with formula MnO. Manganese is present in two oxidation states +2 and +3 and the formula is sometimes written as MnO.MnO. MnO is found in nature as the mineral hausmannite. MnO formed when any manganese oxide is heated in air above 1000 °C. Considerable research has centred on producing nanocrystalline MnO and various syntheses that involve oxidation of Mn or reduction of Mn. MnO has been found to act as a catalyst for a range of reactions e.g. the oxidation
Manganese phosphating), zinc and sometimes vanadium are viable substitutes. Manganese is essential to iron and steel production by virtue of its sulfur-fixing, deoxidizing, and alloying properties, as first recognized by the British metallurgist Robert Forester Mushet (1811–1891) who, in 1856, introduced the element, in the form of Spiegeleisen, into steel for the specific purpose of removing excess dissolved oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus in order to improve its malleability. Steelmaking, including its ironmaking component, has accounted for most manganese demand, presently in the range of 85% to 90% of the total demand. Manganese is a key component of low-cost stainless steel. Often