By Editor Not a lot of you may know about the proper use of Manganese, but it is the metal that gives steel its immense strength. And sure enough, that is precisely what makes Manganese a super important metal to mine for many countries around the world. Though in India, we have many big known reserves of Manganese, but still, as per some recent data, we’re only the 6th largest Manganese producing nation in the entire world. But yes, production numbers are going up every single year, and that is thanks to some states putting in a lot of focus and efforts in mining Manganese. And today, we’re here to talk about just that with this list of the Top 10 Highest Manganese Producing States In India 2025.
1. Madhya Pradesh
First of all, Madhya Pradesh is the manganese leader (quite literally!) of India, producing 31.50% of the total output of the country. This state is enormous, about 308,000 square kilometers, making it the second largest in India in terms of area. The magic of manganese is mostly from the districts of Balaghat and Chhindwara. These places are part of a metal-rich area that extends to the Nagpur-Bhandara belt of Maharashtra. Being in the center of India makes it very convenient to deliver the manganese to the steel plants located in various places.
2. Maharashtra
At the second spot, Maharashtra is doubly satisfying with its 25 to 27% share of the total manganese output of India. Known as India’s business capital and the “gateway to India,” the state is already quite popular. The places where you can discover manganese deposits are the districts of Nagpur, Bhandara, and Ratnagiri. Particularly, Ratnagiri is one of the top producers of high-grade manganese ore that is suitable for the steel industry all over the world.
3. Odisha
Odisha is ranked at the third position and accounts for 18 to 24% of the total manganese production of India. However, the surprising thing is that it holds as much as 44% of the country’s manganese reserves. The major mining activities are taking place in the districts of Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Koraput, and Kalahandi. Keonjhar alone was the place where 25% of India’s manganese was produced! The state of Odisha is loaded with all these types of manganese deposits like Gondite and Kodurite which are just different kinds of ore.
4. Karnataka
Karnataka is at the fourth position in the list of top manganese-producing states in India. It contributes between 11 to 13% of the total production of the metal and is estimated to hold 22% of the reserves. The southern state covers an area of 74,051 square miles and has a population of over 61 million people. Manganese deposits can be found in the districts of Bellary, Chitradurga, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, and Tumkur. The mines are widely recognized for their high-grade ore, specifically suitable for steel production.
5. Andhra Pradesh
Coming in at number five is Andhra Pradesh which contributes 4 to 9% of the total manganese produced in India. The main mining districts are Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Guntur. Do you know: Srikakulam was the first place in India where manganese was produced in 1892! The ore found there is of low grade, so it is first processed for steel use. With a 974-kilometer coastline along the Bay of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh is well equipped with ports for manganese exports.
6. Goa
Goa is small in size but powerful, being the 3 to 7% of India’s manganese source without undermining itself as the smallest state that only covers 1,430 square miles. Located in the beautiful Konkan region, this jewel of the sea is surrounded by Maharashtra and Karnataka. The capital is Panaji, and the largest city is Vasco da Gama. Goa has a very different atmosphere which can be attributed to the fact that it was under the administration of the Portuguese for 451 years till 1961. Most of the Manganese mining is carried out in South Goa.
7. Jharkhand
The next state is Jharkhand, which contributes around 2 to 3 percent of the manganese produced in India. The name of this state literally means “forest land” and it is full of minerals which are more than 40% of the total mineral output of India. Mining is done mostly in the area of Singhbhum and Dhanbad. It is surrounded by West Bengal, Odisha, and others. The point, however, is that among the resource-rich states are an enormous number of people who lack the basics, and this is what the “resource curse” experts refer to here.
8. Rajasthan
Rajasthan is mining only 1 to 2% of the total manganese ore in India which is mainly from the districts of Udaipur and Banswara. The state of Rajasthan is very large, it covers an area of 132,150 square miles which is even more than some countries! Rajasthan, dubbed the “Land of Kings,” has the Thar Desert and also has a fascinating history of Rajputana. Although it does not have much manganese reserves, its excellent transportation network makes transportation of the ore very easy.
9. Gujarat
Gujarat is at the bottom of the list with the production of less than 1% of India’s manganese, which is mainly from Panchmahals and Vadodara districts. This state in the west measures 75,685 square miles and has a population of over 60 million. Its long 992 miles of coast along the Arabian Sea is a great advantage for the transport of manganese, like, no part of the state is far from the sea!
10. West Bengal
West Bengal ranks last on our list with a tiny portion (slightly less than 1%) of the total manganese production, mostly from the Purulia district. It is an eastern state of India with an area of 34,267 square miles and a population of about 103 million people, which makes it very densely populated. Though manganese production-wise, this state is a pretty small player, but the production amount might go up in the coming few years or so.
Conclusion
That is pretty much it. These are by far the highest manganese-producing states in the country, and as you can see, almost all the manganese is produced by these ten states in India. And sure enough, whenever the production numbers go down in any of these states, it has a big impact on the overall production amount, and that directly affects the steel industry.