All fact sheets · The Strata Memo
Chromium
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Photo Alchemist-hp ( talk ) ( www.pse-mendelejew.de ). “Chromium crystals and 1cm3 cube.jpg.” FAL. Wikimedia Commons. File page
Chemical details
- State at room conditions
- Solid
- Melting point
- 2,180 K (1,907 °C)
- Boiling point
- 2,944 K (2,671 °C)
- Density
- 7.15 g/cm³
- Common oxidation states
- +6, +3, +2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.66
- Atomic radius
- 189 pm
- First ionization energy
- 6.767 eV
- Discovered
- 1797
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine, PubChem, Periodic Table of Elements (element Chromium) (current at retrieval)
USGS 2025 critical mineral. Figures: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (public domain); sources are in the source register.
Where it is made: six stages
bottleneck made in the U.S. partly no U.S. activity no source yet
Where the sites are
RefiningMaterialsring = place only known to county or district
Most pins mark the centre of the place the source names for the site (a town, county or district), not the exact mine; U.S. sites from MSHA use MSHA's own coordinates for the mine. Hover for operator and outputs. Map outlines: Natural Earth (public domain); place lookup: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
3 of 7 sites have no plottable place and are not pinned.
Overview
How much does the U.S. import?
of U.S. chromium use was met by imports in 2025 (USGS net import reliance).
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
Did you know?
Chromium is named from the Greek word for color, because so many of its compounds are intensely colored.
Checked against two independent sources. Verified 2026-10-26.
Sources: Wikipedia · WebElements (Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA)
How concentrated is supply?
76% of world production comes from three countries (South Africa, Turkey, Kazakhstan). Highly concentrated.
Thirds of the bar: under 33%, 33 to 65%, 66% and over. Our own rule of thumb, not a USGS rating.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
Supply
Who has it, and who digs it?
Where it is produced, 2025
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 45% |
| Turkey | 18% |
| Kazakhstan | 14% |
| India | 6% |
| Brazil | 4% |
| Zimbabwe | 4% |
Share of the world total as printed by USGS (rounded). Production and reserves are different things: reserves are what is economic to mine. Hover or focus a bar for its value, or switch to the table view.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
Where U.S. imports come from
Choose a data set, then a view. A country keeps the same color in every chart on this page. Grey means other countries, or a country beyond the seven colors (always labeled). Hover or focus a mark for its value, or use the table view.
- South Africa96%
- Turkey3%
- Other countries1%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 96% | 96.0% |
| Turkey | 3% | 3.0% |
| Other countries | 1% | 1.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of chromite (ores and concentrates), 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- Kazakhstan25%
- China19%
- Germany14%
- India13%
- Other countries29%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | 25% | 25.0% |
| China | 19% | 19.0% |
| Germany | 14% | 14.0% |
| India | 13% | 13.0% |
| Other countries | 29% | 29.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of chromium-containing chemicals, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- Canada50%
- Mexico45%
- Other countries5%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 50% | 50.0% |
| Mexico | 45% | 45.0% |
| Other countries | 5% | 5.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of chromium-containing scrap, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- China40%
- United Kingdom26%
- Russia15%
- France14%
- Other countries5%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| China | 40% | 40.0% |
| United Kingdom | 26% | 26.0% |
| Russia | 15% | 15.0% |
| France | 14% | 14.0% |
| Other countries | 5% | 5.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of chromium metal, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- South Africa41%
- Kazakhstan24%
- Russia6%
- Finland5%
- Other countries24%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 41% | 41.0% |
| Kazakhstan | 24% | 24.0% |
| Russia | 6% | 6.0% |
| Finland | 5% | 5.0% |
| Other countries | 24% | 24.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of ferrochromium, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- Taiwan16%
- Finland12%
- India11%
- China6%
- Other countries55%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | 16% | 16.0% |
| Finland | 12% | 12.0% |
| India | 11% | 11.0% |
| China | 6% | 6.0% |
| Other countries | 55% | 55.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of stainless steel, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- South Africa31%
- Kazakhstan11%
- Finland6%
- Canada5%
- Other countries47%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 31% | 31.0% |
| Kazakhstan | 11% | 11.0% |
| Finland | 6% | 6.0% |
| Canada | 5% | 5.0% |
| Other countries | 47% | 47.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of total imports, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
- South Africa99% · $43.6M
- Germany0% · $213K
- Netherlands0% · $146K
- Brazil0% · $68K
- Belgium0% · $43K
- China0% · $12K
| Country | U.S. imports, 2025 | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 99% · $43.6M | 98.9% |
| Germany | 0% · $213K | 0.5% |
| Netherlands | 0% · $146K | 0.3% |
| Brazil | 0% · $68K | 0.2% |
| Belgium | 0% · $43K | 0.1% |
| China | 0% · $12K | 0.0% |
U.S. general imports (customs value) in calendar 2025 under HS 2610; countries beyond the top six are grouped. The code can include goods beyond this mineral. The Shift view compares each country's share of 2025 with its share of Jan to Aug 2026 (shares of each period's total).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports by HS code and country (calendar 2025; Jan to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
- South Africa39% · $168.7M
- Finland25% · $108.0M
- Kazakhstan22% · $93.3M
- Albania5% · $20.3M
- Brazil4% · $15.2M
- India3% · $14.8M
- All other countries2% · $6.9M
| Country | U.S. imports, 2025 | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 39% · $168.7M | 39.5% |
| Finland | 25% · $108.0M | 25.3% |
| Kazakhstan | 22% · $93.3M | 21.8% |
| Albania | 5% · $20.3M | 4.8% |
| Brazil | 4% · $15.2M | 3.6% |
| India | 3% · $14.8M | 3.5% |
| All other countries | 2% · $6.9M | 1.6% |
U.S. general imports (customs value) in calendar 2025 under HS 7202.41; countries beyond the top six are grouped. The code can include goods beyond this mineral. The Shift view compares each country's share of 2025 with its share of Jan to Aug 2026 (shares of each period's total).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports by HS code and country (calendar 2025; Jan to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
- Kazakhstan100% · $12.3M
| Country | U.S. imports, 2025 | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | 100% · $12.3M | 100.0% |
U.S. general imports (customs value) in calendar 2025 under HS 7202.50; countries beyond the top six are grouped. The code can include goods beyond this mineral. The Shift view compares each country's share of 2025 with its share of Jan to Aug 2026 (shares of each period's total).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports by HS code and country (calendar 2025; Jan to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
U.S. supply mix
thousand metric tons, 2021 to 2025
Imports are before exports, so the stack is not the same as U.S. consumption.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
Price
Price: Chromite ore (gross weight), dollars per metric ton
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)
Trade and tariffs
Trade codes and tariffs
| HTS code | What it covers | Normal rate | Column 2 rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2610 | Chromium ores and concentrates | Free | Free |
| 7202.41 | Ferrochromium: Containing by weight more than 4 percent of carbon | 1.9% * | 7.5% |
| 7202.50 | Ferrosilicon chromium | 10% | 25% |
Rates from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (USITC, saved 2026-10-26). The normal rate is column 1 general; column 2 applies to countries without normal trade relations. A range means different products under the code have different rates. An asterisk means the schedule footnotes point to Chapter 99 additional-duty headings. Section 232, Section 301, emergency tariffs and antidumping or countervailing duties are set in separate notices and are not shown. Look up any code at hts.usitc.gov. These are the main codes for this mineral, not a complete list.
Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, general and column 2 rates (edition current when saved)
U.S. trade by country
U.S. imports in 2025 by source country, code 7202.41
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 39% · $168.7M |
| Finland | 25% · $108.0M |
| Kazakhstan | 22% · $93.3M |
| Albania | 5% · $20.3M |
| Brazil | 4% · $15.2M |
| India | 3% · $14.8M |
U.S. exports in 2025 by destination, code 7202.41
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Canada | 99% · $11.5M |
| Mexico | 1% · $102K |
| Korea, South | 0% · $21K |
| France | 0% · $11K |
| Germany | 0% · $6K |
| New Zealand | 0% · $4K |
2610 Chromium ores and concentrates
Top import sources South Africa 99%, Germany 0%, Netherlands 0%
Top export destinations Canada 76%, Mexico 17%, Malaysia 3%
7202.41 Ferrochromium over 4 percent carbon
Top import sources South Africa 39%, Finland 25%, Kazakhstan 22%
Top export destinations Canada 99%, Mexico 1%, Korea, South 0%
7202.50 Ferrosilicon chromium
Top import sources Kazakhstan 100%
Top export destinations Canada 94%, Taiwan 6%
U.S. Census Bureau International Trade API, saved 2026-10-26. Imports are general imports (customs value) and exports are total exports, in U.S. dollars. Duty collected is Census's calculated duty on imports for consumption. Figures cover every 10-digit product under the code, so they can include goods beyond this mineral, and the duty shown is not split into Section 232, Section 301 or antidumping duties. Bars show the largest code for each direction. Group rows such as the EU or OECD are left out so no country is counted twice.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports and exports by HS code and country (calendar 2025, and January to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
Value chain and risk
Value chain: where the bottlenecks are
Mining bottleneck
The U.S. reports no chromite mine production; its chromite ore is imported, 96% of it from South Africa in 2021-24. (no U.S. activity)
The source says
“Mine — — — — —”
“Imported chromite ore was consumed by one company to produce chromium chemicals.”
“Chromite (ores and concentrates): South Africa, 96%; Turkey, 3%; and other, 1%.”
Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (2026)
Ore processing and primary recovery bottleneck
South Africa supplied 96% of U.S. chromite ore imports (2021-24) and was the leading chromite ore producer. (no U.S. activity)
The source says
“Chromite (ores and concentrates): South Africa, 96%; Turkey, 3%; and other, 1%.”
“South Africa was the leading chromite ore producer.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium (PDF page 70) (2026-02)
Refining and separation bottleneck
One U.S. company makes chromium chemicals from imported chromite; China is the leading ferrochromium and stainless-steel producer and the leading chromium consumer. (partly U.S.)
The source says
“Imported chromite ore was consumed by one company to produce chromium chemicals.”
“China was the leading ferrochromium- and stainless-steel-producing country and the leading chromium-consuming country.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium (PDF page 70) (2026-02)
Metal, alloy and chemical
Chromium metal imports came from China (40%), the United Kingdom (26%), Russia (15%) and France (14%) in 2021-24. (partly U.S.)
The source says
“Chromium metal: China, 40%; United Kingdom, 26%; Russia, 15%; France, 14%; and other, 5%.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium (PDF page 70) (2026-02)
Components and end use
Stainless-steel and heat-resisting-steel producers are the leading consumers of ferrochromium. (U.S. role not stated)
The source says
“Stainless-steel and heat-resisting-steel producers were the leading consumers of ferrochromium.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium (PDF page 70) (2026-02)
Recycling
Recycled chromium in stainless-steel scrap supplied 21% of U.S. apparent consumption in 2025. (partly U.S.)
The source says
“In 2025, recycled chromium (contained in reported stainless-steel scrap receipts) accounted for 21% of apparent consumption.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium (PDF page 70) (2026-02)
Bottleneck = one country dominates the stage, or the U.S. relies on imports for it, as the quote shows. “No sourced data yet” is not “no problem”.
Who operates it, where, and what comes out
4 operators, 7 named sites.
MiningRefining and separationMetal, alloy and chemical
Samancor Chrome
3 sites · South Africa
Sources
Eastern Chrome Mines (ECM)
“ECM is located in the Steelpoort valley (approximately 350km from Johannesburg) along a 100-kilometre stretch of the eastern rim of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, and comprises of three underground mines, two opencast mines, four surface beneficiation plants and four tailings re-treatment plants.”
“The smelting complex is situated in the Burgersfort area of the Limpopo Province and is in close proximity to Samancor Chrome’s Eastern Chrome Mines and Tubatse Ferrochrome smelting operation.”
Source: Samancor Chrome, Operations Overview (2026)
Western Chrome Mines (WCM)
“WCM is situated approximately 130km north-west of Johannesburg, close to the town of Mooinooi in the North West Province, and comprises of three underground mines, two surface beneficiation plants and two tailings re-treatment plants.”
“In 2016 Samancor Chrome acquired the assets of the operation and transferred them into a separate entity named TC Smelters (PTY) Limited. The plant is situated in Mooinooi, North West Province and is adjacent to WCM.”
Source: Samancor Chrome, Operations Overview (2026)
Ferrometals (FMT) ferrochrome plant
“FMT is situated in Emalahleni (formerly called Witbank), Mpumalanga, and is one of the largest individual ferrochrome plants in the world and produces charge chrome for steel markets.”
“Copyright © 2026 Samancor Chrome. All Rights Reserved.”
Source: Samancor Chrome, Operations Overview (2026)
American Chrome & Chemicals
2 sites · United States
Sources
American Chrome & Chemicals, Corpus Christi plant
“American Chrome & Chemicals is the only chromium chemicals producer in the Americas”
“With 2 production facilities in Corpus Christi, TX and Castle Hayne, NC”
“previously operating under the name Elementis Chromium”
Source: American Chrome & Chemicals, About Us (2026)
American Chrome & Chemicals, Castle Hayne plant
“American Chrome & Chemicals is the only chromium chemicals producer in the Americas”
“With 2 production facilities in Corpus Christi, TX and Castle Hayne, NC”
“previously operating under the name Elementis Chromium”
Source: American Chrome & Chemicals, About Us (2026)
Kazchrome
1 site · Kazakhstan
Sources
Donskoy Ore Mining and Processing Plant (Donskoy GOK)
“Operating Divisions Donskoy Ore Mining and Processing Plant Aktobe Ferroalloys Plant Aksu Ferroalloys Plant”
“One of the world’s largest chrome ore mining plants.”
“In 2024, the Donskoy GOK launched its new “Bolashak” mine, with a design capacity of 7.5 million tons of chromite ore per year.”
Source: Kazchrome (ERG), Donskoy Ore Mining and Processing Plant (2026)
Outokumpu
1 site · Finland
Sources
Tornio ferrochrome plant
“Tornio - Ferrochrome, Finland”
“At Outokumpu’s Tornio plant, ferrochrome production takes place onsite using raw materials mined nearby in Kemi.”
Source: Outokumpu, Tornio Ferrochrome, Finland (2026)
Not a complete register: a missing name means not yet sourced. Outputs are products named in the checked quote; the source page may list more.
Policy and funding
Policy timeline
Tagged by AI from federal sources; each links to the original. How we label.
Source: U.S. federal sources (Federal Register, Grants.gov, DOE, Regulations.gov, DFC), Policy items tagged for Chromium (dates per item)
Federal awards already made
Towson University · National Science Foundation · $311.3K obligated · started 2026-08-01
Source: usaspending.gov, retrieved 2026-10-29
The 1 largest of 1 AI-tagged awards from USAspending (last 12 months, found by keyword; some are only loosely about this mineral). See all awards for Chromium.
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, USAspending.gov: spending by award (contracts and grants, last 12 months) (award start dates per item)
Data tables
Chromium: USGS tables
United States
| Measure | Unit | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption | percent | 77 | 79 |
| Production: Mine | thousand metric tons | — | — |
| Production: Secondary | thousand metric tons | 103 | 100 |
| Imports for consumption | thousand metric tons | 492 | 520 |
| Exports | thousand metric tons | 148 | 140 |
| Shipments from Government stockpile | thousand metric tons | NA | NA |
| Consumption (includes recycling): Reported | thousand metric tons | 360 | 360 |
| Consumption (includes recycling): Apparent | thousand metric tons | 442 | 480 |
| Price: Chromite ore (gross weight), dollars per metric ton | dollars per metric ton | 331 | 290 |
| Price: Ferrochromium (chromium content), dollars per pound | dollars per pound | 1.76 | 1.6 |
| Price: Chromium metal (gross weight), dollars per pound | dollars per pound | 5.3 | 5.9 |
| Stocks, consumer, yearend | thousand metric tons | 5 | 5 |
World production (thousand metric tons; top 6 of 8, plus other countries)
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 22,900 | 23,000 | 45% |
| Turkey | 9,300 | 9,000 | 18% |
| Kazakhstan | 6,100 | 7,000 | 14% |
| India | 3,370 | 3,000 | 6% |
| Brazil | 1,400 | 2,000 | 4% |
| Zimbabwe | 1,600 | 2,000 | 4% |
| Other countries | 3,000 | 3,000 | 6% |
World total 2025: 51,000 thousand metric tons (as printed by USGS, rounded).
World reserves: Reserves: Ore (thousand metric tons; top 6 of 8, plus other countries)
| Country | 2025 |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Brazil | |
| Finland | |
| India | |
| Kazakhstan | |
| South Africa | |
| Other countries |
World reserves: Reserves: Cr2O3 content (thousand metric tons; top 6 of 8, plus other countries)
| Country | 2025 |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 110,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 100,000 |
| Zimbabwe | 78,000 |
| India | 27,000 |
| Finland | 16,000 |
| Turkey | 5,700 |
| Other countries | NA |
U.S. import sources: Chromite (ores and concentrates) (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 96 |
| Turkey | 3 |
| Other countries | 1 |
U.S. import sources: Chromium-containing chemicals (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | 25 |
| China | 19 |
| Germany | 14 |
| India | 13 |
| Other countries | 29 |
U.S. import sources: Chromium-containing scrap (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Canada | 50 |
| Mexico | 45 |
| Other countries | 5 |
U.S. import sources: Chromium metal (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| China | 40 |
| United Kingdom | 26 |
| Russia | 15 |
| France | 14 |
| Other countries | 5 |
U.S. import sources: Ferrochromium (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 41 |
| Kazakhstan | 24 |
| Russia | 6 |
| Finland | 5 |
| Other countries | 24 |
U.S. import sources: Stainless steel (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Taiwan | 16 |
| Finland | 12 |
| India | 11 |
| China | 6 |
| Other countries | 55 |
U.S. import sources: Total imports (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 31 |
| Kazakhstan | 11 |
| Finland | 6 |
| Canada | 5 |
| Other countries | 47 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium (February 2026)