Chromium (Cr): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Chromium is produced from chromite ore and is added to steel as ferrochromium, chromium metal or chromium-containing scrap; stainless steel and superalloys cannot do without it. In 2025 South Africa produced an estimated 23,000 kt, 45% of world mine production (USGS world total: 51,000 kt), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for chromium in 2025 was 79%. Chromium is on the US, Australian and Canadian critical minerals lists.
45%
of world mine production came from South Africa in 2025
$290/t
chromite ore (gross weight) in 2025 (-12% on 2024)
Which countries produce chromium?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (kt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 22,900 | 23,000 | 45% | 350,000 |
| Turkey | 9,300 | 9,000 | 18% | 27,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 6,100 | 7,000 | 14% | 230,000 |
| India | 3,370 | 3,000 | 5.9% | 79,000 |
| Brazil | 1,400 | 2,000 | 3.9% | 3,900 |
| Zimbabwe | 1,600 | 2,000 | 3.9% | 140,000 |
| Finland | 1,940 | 1,900 | 3.7% | 63,000 |
| United States | None | None | - | 8,500 |
| All other countries | 3,000 | 3,000 | 5.9% | NA |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 49,600 | 51,000 | 100% | >1,200,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data.
What is chromium used for?
The United States consumed an estimated 4% of world chromite ore production in 2025, in forms such as ore, chemicals, ferrochromium, chromium metal and stainless steel. The value of chromium material consumption was an estimated $720 million, 15% less than in 2024.
- Stainless and heat-resisting steel: the leading consumers of ferrochromium
- Superalloys: require chromium added as scrap, metal or ferrochromium
- Chromium chemicals: one US company makes them from imported chromite ore
How much does chromium cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chromite ore (gross weight) | dollars per metric ton | 199 | 277 | 321 | 331 | 290 |
| Ferrochromium (chromium content) | dollars per pound | 1.50 | 3.19 | 2.55 | 1.76 | 1.60 |
| Chromium metal (gross weight) | dollars per pound | 4.23 | 7.20 | 5.05 | 5.30 | 5.90 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
Is chromium a critical mineral?
Chromium is on the US, Australian and Canadian critical minerals lists. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Not listed |
| Australia | Critical minerals list |
| Canada | Critical |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
Export controls and trade measures
- South Africa requires a permit to export chromium ore (2025, USGS Table 4).
See the export controls tracker for dates and current status.
What are the substitutes for chromium?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel and superalloys | No substitute exists in the leading end use or the major strategic end use |
| Ferrochromium in some metallurgical uses | Chromium-containing scrap |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Chromium. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can chromium be recycled?
Recycled chromium, measured in reported stainless-steel scrap receipts, accounted for 21% of US apparent consumption in 2025.
What are the supply risks and recent events for chromium?
- 2025. Global chromite ore mine production was estimated to have increased 3%. Deep-level mining, labor costs, an unreliable electricity supply and weaker demand in China could affect production in South Africa, the leading producer.
- 2025. Investment, expansions and new mines may raise chromite output in Brazil, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe.
- 2025. China is the leading producer of ferrochromium and stainless steel and the leading consumer of chromium, but Chinese stainless output has been hit by oversupply and weaker demand. Potential export controls and tariffs on South African chromite ore may affect Chinese ferrochromium production.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Chromite ores and concentrates: South Africa, 96%; Turkey, 3%; and other, 1%. Total imports: South Africa, 31%; Kazakhstan, 11%; Finland, 6%; Canada, 5%; and other, 47%. (USGS)
Resources. World resources are greater than 12 billion tons of shipping-grade chromite, heavily concentrated (95%) in Kazakhstan and southern Africa. US chromium resources are mostly in the Stillwater Complex in Montana.
Which chromium projects are on official lists?
| Project | State | Expected products | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolai Nickel Project | Alaska | Nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, copper, chromium (advanced exploration) | Transparency |
Source: Permitting Council, current covered projects and current transparency projects, last updated 2 April 2026.
Which companies produce or process chromium?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tharisa | South Africa | Chrome concentrate and platinum-group metals producer (JSE: THA; LSE: THS) | Its website describes its business as the "mining, processing, exploration, and the beneficiation, marketing, sales, and logistics of PGMs and chrome concentrates". Tharisa: company website |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is chromium used for?
Chromium is used in stainless and heat-resisting steel, superalloys and chromium chemicals. Stainless and heat-resisting steel: the leading consumers of ferrochromium.
Which country produces the most chromium?
South Africa produces the most chromium: an estimated 23,000 kt, or 45% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS mine production figures.
Is chromium a critical mineral?
Yes. Chromium is on the US, Australian and Canadian critical minerals lists. Chromium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for chromium in 2025 was 79%.
How much does chromium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of chromium at $290/t (chromite ore (gross weight); -12% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Chromium. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 4, export controls by country)
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Permitting Council: current FAST-41 projects
- Tharisa: company website
Related topics
Investing in Chromium
The investing page for chromium.
South Africa profile
Production, policy and projects in South Africa.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Export Controls and Restrictions
China, Indonesia, DR Congo and other measures with dates.
Hafnium
Profile of hafnium.
Niobium
Profile of niobium.
