manganese steel

metallurgy

Also known as: Hadfield steel

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Manganese steel is a type of alloy steel that contains manganese, typically around 12 percent, along with about 1.2 percent carbon. This specific composition, often referred to as Hadfield manganese steel, is known for its exceptional wear resistance.12

Manganese itself is a hard, silvery-white metal that is brittle and not typically used for structural purposes on its own. However, it is a crucial element in steelmaking, where it helps remove impurities like sulfur and oxygen, and significantly enhances the physical properties of the metal. Manganese steel's wear resistance comes from its high work-hardening capabilities; the more it is deformed, the stronger it becomes. This property makes it ideal for applications like wear plates in rock-processing machinery and crushers.32

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steel
Wear-resistant steels
Manganese steels are often called Hadfield steels, after their inventor, Robert Hadfield.
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Manganese steels are often called Hadfield steels, after their inventor, Robert Hadfield.
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manganese
Occurrence, uses, and properties
Manganese steel is used for very rugged service; containing 11–14 percent manganese, it provides a hard, wear-resistant, and self-renewing surface over a tough unbreakable core. Pure manganese produced electrolytically is used mostly in the preparation of nonferrous alloys of copper, aluminum, magnesium, and nickel and…
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Manganese steel is used for very rugged service; containing 11–14 percent manganese, it provides a hard, wear-resistant, and self-renewing surface over a tough unbreakable core. Pure manganese produced electrolytically is used mostly in the preparation of nonferrous alloys of copper, aluminum, magnesium, and nickel and…
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Sir Robert Abbott Hadfield, Baronet
…a British metallurgist who developed manganese steel, an alloy of exceptional durability that found uses in the construction of railroad rails and rock-crushing machinery.
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…a British metallurgist who developed manganese steel, an alloy of exceptional durability that found uses in the construction of railroad rails and rock-crushing machinery.
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