Final answer:
In the context of natural resources, gold is the odd man out among natural gas, salt, and manganese because it is a precious metal primarily valued for its physical properties rather than its chemical reactivity or use as an energy source.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question posed is to identify the odd man out among natural gas, salt, gold, and manganese. Natural gas, gold, and manganese are all naturally occurring resources listed among other materials such as silver, tungsten, nickel, and copper. Manganese (Mn), gold (Au), silver (Ag), and tungsten (W) are all elements or compounds derived directly from mineral sources. In contrast, natural gas is a different type of resource primarily composed of methane and used mainly as a fuel. However, gold is the odd man out because it is a precious metal and is not used primarily for its chemical properties unlike natural gas (fuel) and manganese which is involved in chemical reactions such as in the permanganate (MnO4⁻) ion.
Salt could be considered as an outlier as well, given it is a compound (sodium chloride), widely used in food and industrial processes. But focusing on the context of elements and simple compounds versus complex mixtures or resources with primarily energy use, gold stands out as the most distinct among the options given, as it is valued mainly for its physical properties and monetary worth, rather than its chemical reactivity or as an energy source.