Mineral Facts and Problems: 1960 Edition Page: 183
This report is part of the collection entitled: Technical Report Archive and Image Library and was provided to UNT Digital Library by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
CHROMIUM
By Wilmer McInnis1C HROMIUM, named from the Greek chroma (color), is the chief alloying
component of stainless steel and is used widely in other ferrous and non-
ferrous alloys, refractories, and chemicals.
SUMMARYChromite is the only commercial mineral of
chromium. It occurs chiefly in intrusive peri-
dotite, serpentine (alteration products of perido-
tite), and the peridotitic parts of igneous rock
complexes. World resources are known to be
in the hundreds of millions of tons of Com-
mercial-grade ores, nearly all of which are in the
Eastern Hemisphere. The U.S. resources of
chromite are predominantly lower grade than
foreign sources, and they occur mostly in small
pod-type deposits and layered zones that are
marginal to mine at 1958 costs.
Mining of chromite is by both underground
and surface methods, the latter being used at
some of the world's larger deposits. Some low-
grade ores are upgraded by beneficiation, but
most chromite ores require no treatment to meet
industry specifications. World production has
doubled on the average of about every 10 years.
Domestic output has been minor compared
with annual consumption.
The three major uses of chromite are in the
manufacture of metal and alloys, refractories,
and chemicals. Ores used in producing metal-
lurgical chromium products in the United
States are principally from Turkey, the Federa-
tion of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the Union of
South Africa, and New Caledonia. Refractory-
grade ores are imported principally from the
Republic of the Philippines and Cuba, and
virtually all ore used in the manufacture of
chromium chemicals is from the Union of South
Africa. European supplies are obtained mostly
from the Near East and Africa.
Chromium ferroalloys and chromium metal,
the metallurgical chromium products made
1 Commodity specialist.from chromite, are used in making stainless,
high-speed and other alloy steels, high-temper-
ature alloys, and various other special purpose
alloys. Almost two-thirds of these products
consumed in the United States are used in
making stainless steels. In such steels, chro-
mium is the chief alloying ingredient because it
imparts excellent resistance to corrosion and
maintenance of strength at elevated tempera-
tures. Refractories made from chromite are
used in lining certain parts of steel and other
high-temperature furnaces. Chromium chem-
icals are used as pigments, in surface treatment
and corrosion control of metal, in leather tan-
ning, and in various other applications.
Domestic consumption of chromite has more
than doubled during the past decade; the long-
term outlook is that demand will continue to
increase but at a slower rate. Southern Africa
is expected to become the source for most of the
world supply of chromite as high-grade reserves
in other areas are depleted.
The principal domestic problems related to
chromium include: The development of low-
cost beneficiation and extractive processes and
economic methods for mining small pod-type
deposits, low-grade disseminated deposits, and
high-iron massive deposits; economic recovery
of chromium from laterite; and overcoming the
poor impact resistance and ductility of chro-
mium and its alloys at room temperature.
Other problems relate to discovery and explora-
tion of deposits, transportation, and statistical
data on foreign resources and consumption.
Lack of adequate transportation facilities and
lack of ready markets are major problems that
confront some foreign producers.183
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This report can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Report.
United States. Bureau of Mines. Mineral Facts and Problems: 1960 Edition, report, 1960; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc38790/m1/191/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.