Several manganese minerals make up the manganese ore which occurs to a
limited extent in southeast Missouri, principally in Shannon, Reynolds,
Carter, Iron, and Madison counties. Although the Missouri manganese
minerals are usually heavy, black or nearly so, and have a black or
brownish-black mark or streak, the identification of the individual
minerals is difficult and should be left to a technically trained
mineralogist.
Manganese minerals are used in the chemical industry and in the
production of certain kinds of iron. A special report on the manganese
deposits of Missouri is available at the Missouri Geological Survey,
Rolla, Missouri.