History The origin of the name manganese is complex. In ancient times, two black minerals were identified from the regions of the Magnetes (either Magnesia, located within modern Greece, or Magnesia ad Sipylum, located within modern Turkey). They were both called magnes from their place of origin, but were considered to differ in sex. The male magnes attracted iron, and was the iron ore now known as lodestone or magnetite, and which probably gave us the term magnet. The female magnes ore did not attract iron, but was used to decolorize glass. This female magnes was later called magnesia, known now in modern times as pyrolusite or manganese dioxide. Neither this mineral nor elemental manganese is magnetic. In the 16th century, manganese dioxide was called manganesum (note the two Ns instead of one) by glassmakers, possibly as a corruption and concatenation of two words, since alchemists and glassmakers eventually had to differentiate a magnesia nigra (the black ore) from magnesia alba (a white ore, also from Magnesia, also useful in glassmaking). Michele Mercati called magnesia nigra manganesa, and finally the metal isolated from it became known as manganese (). The name magnesia eventually was then used to refer only to the white magnesia alba (magnesium oxide), which provided the name magnesium for the free element when it was isolated much later.
history the origin of the name manganese is complex in ancient times two black minerals were identified from the regions of the magnetes (either magnesia located within modern greece or magnesia ad sipylum located within modern turkey) they were both called magnes from their place of origin but were considered to differ in sex the male magnes attracted iron and was the iron ore now known as lodestone or magnetite and which probably gave us the term magnet the female magnes ore did not attract iron but was used to decolorize glass this female magnes was later called magnesia known now in modern times as pyrolusite or manganese dioxide neither this mineral nor elemental manganese is magnetic in the 16th century manganese dioxide was called manganesum (note the two ns instead of one) by glassmakers possibly as a corruption and concatenation of two words since alchemists and glassmakers eventually had to differentiate a magnesia nigra (the black ore) from magnesia alba (a white ore also from magnesia also useful in glassmaking) michele mercati called magnesia nigra manganesa and finally the metal isolated from it became known as manganese () the name magnesia eventually was then used to refer only to the white magnesia alba (magnesium oxide) which provided the name magnesium for the free element when it was isolated much later