Chromium metallurgy

The main use of high-purity chromium metal is in the production of nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys used in critical aerospace parts, which are subjected to severe corrosion conditions, operating temperatures of 1,200°C and pressures in excess of 4 MPa. Chromium metal is used in around 20% of these alloys to give them good resistance to hot corrosion.

The most abundant chromium ore is chromite.

Ore processing enables us to obtain the products from which chromium metal is produced, either by electrolysis or aluminothermy. As is customary in the industry, the compositions or contents quoted in this article are by mass.