# Chromium

The element that makes stainless steel resist corrosion; mined mostly in South Africa, smelted into ferrochrome mostly in China.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/

Steel & alloying · No. 15

- US critical 2025
- HHI 3,340 · highly concentrated
 Steel & alloying · Foundation · Matter

Add at least 10.5% chromium to steel and it grows a self-healing skin that stops rust: stainless steel.

Chart: Illustration: Chromium

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Nearly all chromium comes from chromite, found in layered igneous rocks such as South Africa's Bushveld Complex and Zimbabwe's Great Dyke. South African mining is moving ever deeper underground.

##### Three things to know

1. Chromite resources top 12 billion tonnes, enough for centuries, but 95% sit in Kazakhstan and southern Africa.
2. Nothing can replace chromium in stainless steel or superalloys.
3. Ferrochrome smelted on Swedish hydro and nuclear power emitted 1.92 t CO2e per tonne, a third of fossil-powered plants.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Chromite ore**From layered igneous rock, often deep underground
2. 2 **Concentration**Crushed into lumpy ore and fines
3. 3 **Smelting**Electric furnaces make ferrochromium
4. 4 **Stainless melt**Usually combined with nickel
5. 5 **Products**Sheet, tube, cutlery and process plant
 Covered in [What makes something a commodityCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/what-is-a-commodity/)[Reserves, stocks and depletionCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/reserves-stocks-depletion/)[Prices and cyclesCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/prices-and-cycles/)[Criticality and geopoliticsCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/criticality-and-geopolitics/)[Heavy inorganics: salt, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorusChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/heavy-inorganic-chemicals/)[From crude oil and natural gas to the C1-C4 building blocksChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/oil-gas-to-building-blocks/)and 1 more

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/chromium/links/index.md)