A brittle, hard, gray-white metal, manganese has a similar appearance to iron and can be used in the production of various items, including dry cell batteries, aluminum cans and even fungicides and pesticides. Overall, the US Geological Survey states that around 85 to 90 percent of global manganese output is used for the production of steel and cast iron. Manganese also contributes to certain lithium-ion battery chemistries, such as lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt (NCM) and lithium-manganese oxide batteries. Hopes are high that demand for the commodity will rise in line with others that contribute to new energy sources. Click here to read more about manganese investing