In the absence of oxygen, NTMP (nitrilotrismethylenephosphonic acid) is oxidized by aqueous suspensions of the Mn III -containing mineral manganite (MnOOH), yielding iminodimethylenephosphonic acid (IDMP) as the sole phosphonate-containing product, along with orthophosphate and two equivalents of Mn II . Hence, both C-P and C-N bond cleavage take place. The reaction proceeds via formation of a Mn III -NTMP surface complex and oxidation of NTMP by Mn III via a carbon-centered methylene radical. Mn II strongly inhibits the reaction, presumably by competition for available surface sites. Homogeneous NTMP oxidation in Mn IIand O 2 -containing solutions yields IDMP, formate, phosphate, and hydrogen peroxide. Interception of the methylene radical by O 2 leads to N-formyl-IDMP and a second not-identified product. The dual presence of MnOOH and O 2 yields autocatalytic NTMP oxidation, owing to the generation of dissolved Mn II . Although the ultimate oxidants in the Mn II -NTMP-O 2 and MnOOH-NTMP systems are different (O 2 versus Mn III ), both oxidation reactions begin with C-N bond cleavage. This finding supports the hypothesis that Mn III is generated in the Mn II -NTMP-O 2 system.