Chromium: Production
Why South Africa supplies more than half the world
What this tab covers Who produces it and how much: world output over recent years, the top producing countries with their shares, USGS world figures for 2024 and 2025, and the largest producing companies globally and in India.Measured as Cr2O3 content, South Africa supplied 55% of 2024 output, Kazakhstan 12%, India 9% and Turkey 8% (World Mining Data). The HHI of 3,340 is high. On that basis, output rose 40% between 2020 and 2024. USGS, using gross ore weight, puts world output at 49.6 million tonnes in 2024 and 51 million in 2025. Processing is concentrated elsewhere: China is the leading producer of ferrochromium and stainless steel, and the leading consumer. South African supply faces deep mining, labour costs and unreliable electricity.
Chromium (Cr2O3) · WMD
2020 12.0 m 2021 14.9 m 2022 14.8 m 2023 14.9 m 2024 16.8 m World production, tonnes (World Mining Data 2026).Top producers 2024
South Africa 54.8% Kazakhstan 11.9% India 9.2% Turkey 7.8% Zimbabwe 6.3% Albania 2.3% Finland 2.0% Brazil 1.3% Concentration: HHI 3,340, highly concentrated.USGS estimate
World, 2024 49,600 thousand metric tons, chromite ore, gross weight (mine) World, 2025e 51,000 thousand metric tons, chromite ore, gross weight (mine)Largest producers by company, global
Glencore (Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture) 436 Merafe Resources 112 kt ferrochrome (attributable), latest reported year.Largest producers by company, India
- Odisha Mining Corporation: 1.35 Mt chrome ore (FY2025)
- IMFA (Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys): 260,190 t ferrochrome (FY2025)
- Tata Steel (Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division): 0.58 Mt chrome ore (FY2025)
- FACOR: 0.18 Mt chrome ore (FY2025)