<p>You might want to read my answer to: <a href="https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/20136/urgent-please-help-where-can-i-find-worldwide-standards-of-manganese-mining"><em>Urgent, Please help, where can I find worldwide standards of manganese mining?</em></a>.  The question is about mining, not processing plants, <strong>but</strong> it has four weblinks that provide information regarding health concerns regarding manganese.</p>
<p>Briefly, the human body requires a certain level of manganese, but <strong>excessive</strong> levels of manganese, can lead to neurological effects in people, leading to conditions similar to Parkinson's Disease.</p>
<p>From the <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/manganese-healthprofessional/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">US National Institutes of Health website</a>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Manganese toxicity mainly affects the central nervous system and can cause tremors, muscle spasms, tinnitus, hearing loss, and the feeling of being unsteady on one’s feet. Additional symptoms include mania, insomnia, depression, delusions, anorexia, headaches, irritability, lower extremity weakness, changes in mood and short-term memory, altered reaction times, and reduced hand-eye coordination. These signs and symptoms can progress to neuromotor impairments similar to those associated with Parkinson’s disease, including changes in gait and balance, tremor, and rigidity.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>From <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166881/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">another National Institutes of Health website</a>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Chronic Mn poisoning is a recognized health hazard associated with the mining and processing of Mn ores (6–9). Although the largest source of human exposure to Mn is via water and food, additional exposure may occur through air polluted with Mn emissions (1). Mn poisoning has been linked to impaired motor skills, cognitive disorders, and metabolic processes (10–15). Environmental Mn pollution and its long-term effect on the health of the pediatric population living in Mn-mining areas is a major concern.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That website references a study of 683 children, aged between 5 and 7 years, in manganese rich area of Ukraine and states,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Impaired growth and rickets-like skeletal deformities were observed in 33% of the children. This was a significantly higher percentage than in children in the reference region (15%). The children from the Mn-mining region also had increased salivary levels of immunoglobulin A (104.4±14.2 mcg/ml vs. 49.7±6.1 mcg/ml among the controls (p&lt;0.05), increased serum alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor levels (4.93±0.21 g/l compared with 2.91±0.22 g/l for controls; p&lt;0.001) and greater numbers of micronuclei in the mucous cells of the oral cavity (0.070±0.008 vs. 0.012±0.009, p&lt;0.001).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I will try to elaborate further when I have time, but I would be extremely concerned if a manganese processing plant were to be established anywhere near where I live.</p>
<p>Any manganese processing plant would have to have <strong>exceptional</strong> dust suppression and capture systems. It would also have to be located on the downwind side of any habitable location, based on prevailing wind directions, so that any fugitive dust is more likely to be blown away from human inhabited localities. Try to obtain a prevailing wind direction map from your local weather service.</p>
<p>Any processing plant should not be allowed to store manganese as a heap outside exposed to the weather. It should be delivered or removed  to or from the site in sealed containers that would be stored under cover.</p>
<p>Manganese is not immediately toxic. Its affects accumulate over time.</p>
<p>I am not aware of restrictions on the proximity of manganese processing plants to human inhabited areas. It would also depend on what type of processing the plant would be undertaking. Would it process manganese ore from a mine or is going to process manganese compounds and produce health supplements for human consumption?</p>
<hr />
<p><em><strong>Edit 8 January 2024</strong></em></p>
<p>New information from: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-08/nt-government-groote-eylandt-mine-dust-health-concerns/103288140" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>NT government still won't investigate health concerns of mine implicated in Natasha Fyles's resignation</em></a> and <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-07/manganese-mine-indigenous-community/100676998" rel="nofollow noreferrer">'Concerning' levels of heavy metals found in people living near the world's biggest manganese mine.</a></em></p>
<p>CDC-NIOSH information about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/manganese/default.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Manganese</a>.</p>
<p>The picture below shows manganese dust accumulated on cars near a manganese loader at a port on Groote Eylandt.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/3ijbz.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/3ijbz.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Groote Eylandt, where a manganese mine has been operating for 50 years is also home to quolls, pictured below:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/z7Dqs.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/z7Dqs.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>A 2018 study of the quolls found manganese dust had a detrimental effect on the small marsupials.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The study found the animals had elevated manganese concentrations within their hair, testes, and the neocortex and cerebellum brain regions, which are responsible for sensory perception and motor function.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>One of the results such manganese exposure was a reduction in the agility and speed of the quolls.</p>
<p>One finding from studies undertaken on Groote Eylandt was,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;Fine manganese dust within the respirable size range is found at levels exceeding international recommendations even 20km from manganese extraction, processing and storage facilities on Groote Eylandt,&quot;</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-29T08:40:06.147Z
2024-01-07T23:28:16.683Z
2024-01-07T23:28:16.683Z
Fred
<p>Land that is currently zoned as agriculture with houses and businesses surrounding it is being proposed to be changed to commercial/industrial. The purpose is to build a Manganese processing plant. The area is populated by 25000 people but scattered up into the hills. Neighbors are mostly on ranchettes of 1 to 5 acres. It is an area of natural wildlife, greenry, agriculture and practically zero light or noise pollution. This plant will be built in the middle of town. Naturally there are concerns of water, air and noise pollution.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-29T03:59:19.630Z
please add the numbers and information that is missing from your question.things like the amount  of polution,types of polution,what levels of polutionis seen as safe,what is done to limit polution.what polution ends up in the soil,air and water.
trond hansen
<air-pollution><groundwater><mining>
How far should a Manganese processing plant be built from a city?
Mona Manquero
# How far should a Manganese processing plant be built from a city?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-07-28)

Land that is currently zoned as agriculture with houses and businesses surrounding it is being proposed to be changed to commercial/industrial. The purpose is to build a Manganese processing plant. The area is populated by 25000 people but scattered up into the hills. Neighbors are mostly on ranchettes of 1 to 5 acres. It is an area of natural wildlife, greenry, agriculture and practically zero light or noise pollution. This plant will be built in the middle of town. Naturally there are concerns of water, air and noise pollution.

**Tags:** air-pollution, groundwater, mining

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: please add the numbers and information that is missing from your question.things like the amount  of polution,types of polution,what levels of polutionis seen as safe,what is done to limit polution.what polution ends up in the soil,air and water.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-07-29. Score: 1

You might want to read my answer to: [*Urgent, Please help, where can I find worldwide standards of manganese mining?*](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/20136/urgent-please-help-where-can-i-find-worldwide-standards-of-manganese-mining). The question is about mining, not processing plants, **but** it has four weblinks that provide information regarding health concerns regarding manganese.

Briefly, the human body requires a certain level of manganese, but **excessive** levels of manganese, can lead to neurological effects in people, leading to conditions similar to Parkinson's Disease.

From the [US National Institutes of Health website](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/manganese-healthprofessional/),

> Manganese toxicity mainly affects the central nervous system and can cause tremors, muscle spasms, tinnitus, hearing loss, and the feeling of being unsteady on one’s feet. Additional symptoms include mania, insomnia, depression, delusions, anorexia, headaches, irritability, lower extremity weakness, changes in mood and short-term memory, altered reaction times, and reduced hand-eye coordination. These signs and symptoms can progress to neuromotor impairments similar to those associated with Parkinson’s disease, including changes in gait and balance, tremor, and rigidity.

From [another National Institutes of Health website](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166881/),

> Chronic Mn poisoning is a recognized health hazard associated with the mining and processing of Mn ores (6–9). Although the largest source of human exposure to Mn is via water and food, additional exposure may occur through air polluted with Mn emissions (1). Mn poisoning has been linked to impaired motor skills, cognitive disorders, and metabolic processes (10–15). Environmental Mn pollution and its long-term effect on the health of the pediatric population living in Mn-mining areas is a major concern.

That website references a study of 683 children, aged between 5 and 7 years, in manganese rich area of Ukraine and states,

> Impaired growth and rickets-like skeletal deformities were observed in 33% of the children. This was a significantly higher percentage than in children in the reference region (15%). The children from the Mn-mining region also had increased salivary levels of immunoglobulin A (104.4±14.2 mcg/ml vs. 49.7±6.1 mcg/ml among the controls (p<0.05), increased serum alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor levels (4.93±0.21 g/l compared with 2.91±0.22 g/l for controls; p<0.001) and greater numbers of micronuclei in the mucous cells of the oral cavity (0.070±0.008 vs. 0.012±0.009, p<0.001).

I will try to elaborate further when I have time, but I would be extremely concerned if a manganese processing plant were to be established anywhere near where I live.

Any manganese processing plant would have to have **exceptional** dust suppression and capture systems. It would also have to be located on the downwind side of any habitable location, based on prevailing wind directions, so that any fugitive dust is more likely to be blown away from human inhabited localities. Try to obtain a prevailing wind direction map from your local weather service.

Any processing plant should not be allowed to store manganese as a heap outside exposed to the weather. It should be delivered or removed to or from the site in sealed containers that would be stored under cover.

Manganese is not immediately toxic. Its affects accumulate over time.

I am not aware of restrictions on the proximity of manganese processing plants to human inhabited areas. It would also depend on what type of processing the plant would be undertaking. Would it process manganese ore from a mine or is going to process manganese compounds and produce health supplements for human consumption?

---

***Edit 8 January 2024***

New information from: [*NT government still won't investigate health concerns of mine implicated in Natasha Fyles's resignation*](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-08/nt-government-groote-eylandt-mine-dust-health-concerns/103288140) and *['Concerning' levels of heavy metals found in people living near the world's biggest manganese mine.](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-07/manganese-mine-indigenous-community/100676998)*

CDC-NIOSH information about [Manganese](https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/manganese/default.html).

The picture below shows manganese dust accumulated on cars near a manganese loader at a port on Groote Eylandt.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/3ijbz.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/3ijbz.jpg)

Groote Eylandt, where a manganese mine has been operating for 50 years is also home to quolls, pictured below:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/z7Dqs.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/z7Dqs.png)

A 2018 study of the quolls found manganese dust had a detrimental effect on the small marsupials.

> The study found the animals had elevated manganese concentrations within their hair, testes, and the neocortex and cerebellum brain regions, which are responsible for sensory perception and motor function.

One of the results such manganese exposure was a reduction in the agility and speed of the quolls.

One finding from studies undertaken on Groote Eylandt was,

> "Fine manganese dust within the respirable size range is found at levels exceeding international recommendations even 20km from manganese extraction, processing and storage facilities on Groote Eylandt,"


---

