Current state of chromium production and application in ferrous metallurgy. Part 1. Raw materials

The article provides information on the applications of chromium in modern industry. The main raw materials for its production are chromite ores. Data on the composition, volume of extraction of chromite ores and production of concentrates from them in 20 countries of the world for 2023 are presented. In 2023, 40,759 thousand tons of commercial chromite raw materials were produced, of which 48 % contains Cr₂O₃/FeO = 1.5 – 1.9 and 67.5 % contains 40 – 44 % Cr₂O₃. Deterioration of quality of the raw materials used was noted. In terms of Cr₂O₃ content, only 28 % of all ores produced meet the requirements of the ferroalloy industry used 10 – 15 years ago, while only 19 % meet the requirements for Cr₂O₃/FeO, and 18 % do not even meet the requirements for charge chromium. The authors present the data on production volumes, Cr₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃/FeO content in commercial chromite ores and concentrates, as well as development plans for various deposits in Russia. The needs of the Russian Federation for chromite raw materials were met by 65 % through imports. Most of the consumed chromite raw materials are used in ferrous metallurgy in the form of chromium ferroalloys. The paper describes the applied man-made raw materials for production of FeCr, scope of slags application, possibility of processing sludge and dust. Globally, more than 18 % of chromite raw materials are obtained from sludge and tailings. The results of industrial tests of chromite raw materials from the Aganozerskoe and Sopcheozerskoe deposits are presented, as well as information on the technical and economic calculations carried out by different companies for the ores of these deposits. Therefore, to eliminate the shortage of imported raw materials and to develop the domestic industry, it is proposed to process ores from these deposits. Non-commercial (substandard) ores in developed mining and processing areas may become another source of chromium.

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