Chromium Statistics and Information
Insights and data
Pictured: chromite
Pictured: chromite
Statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and material flow of chromium.
Overview
Chromium (Cr) is an essential feedstock in the production of stainless steel and superalloys owing to its abilities to impart corrosion and oxidation resistance, increase hardenability, improve wear resistance, and bolster strength at elevated temperatures. It is one of the Nation's most important strategic and critical minerals. Chromium is recovered from the mineral chromite – often as a co-product with platinum-group metals – and refined into chromium oxide or ferrochromium. Chromium oxide can be used as feedstock in the production of chromium chemicals, particularly sodium dichromate, or chromium metal via aluminothermic processes. Ferrochromium is most often used as an additive in the production of stainless steel, but it can also be used in the production of high-purity chromium metal, typically via electrolytic processes.
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Publications
Mineral Industry Surveys
Mineral Industry Surveys
Mineral Commodity Summaries
Mineral Commodity Summaries
We are currently in the process of transitioning our datasets to the USGS ScienceBase platform to improve long-term accessibility, documentation, and version control. As part of that transition, we have temporarily paused public posting of our Mineral Industry Surveys (MIS), so the latest available posted data are from December 2025. We will start publication of the MIS as soon as this process is completed. We have also temporarily paused public posting of our Minerals Yearbook (MYB) tables but will resume publication of them when the process is complete. Users subscribed to the automatic notification will be informed as each MIS or MYB becomes available. Thank you for your patience.
Monthly
- Chromium
PDF Format:
2025: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
2024: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
XLSX Format:
2025: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
2024: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Annual
- Chromium
PDF Format:
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |2013 |2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | - Appendixes
- Chromium
PDF Format:
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
XLS Format:
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 1932-1993 | - Recycling-Metals
Special
- Chromium
Open-File Report 2001-381 - Chromium—A National Mineral Commodity Perspective
Open-File Report 2007-1167 - Chromium Life Cycle Study
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9411 - Chromium—Makes Stainless Steel Stainless
Fact Sheet 2010-3089 - Critical Minerals Review 2021
- Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, and Steel Commodity Price Influences
Open-File Report 2007-1257 - Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) - Focus areas for data acquisition for potential domestic resources of 13 critical minerals in the conterminous United States and Puerto Rico — Antimony, barite, beryllium, chromium, fluorspar, hafnium, helium, magnesium, manganese, potash, uranium, vanadium, and zirconium
- Factors that Influence the Price of Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Rare Earth Elements, and Zn
Open-File Report 2008-1356 - Flow Studies for Recycling Metal Commodities in the United States
C-1196-A-M - Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States
Data Series 140 - Metal Prices in the United States through 2010
Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5188 - Statistical Compendium
- Chromium (1969-1990)
- U.S. Mineral Dependence - Statistical Compilation of U.S. and World Mineral Production, Consumption, and Trade, 1990-2010
Open-File Report 2013-1184 - Other Sources of Information
- Boyle, E. H., Jr, Shields, D.J., and Wagner, L.A., 1993, Chromium availability in market economy countries and network flow model analysis of world chromium supply: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9337, 131 p.
- DeYoung, J.H., Jr., Lee, M.P., and Lipin, B.R., 1984, International strategic minerals inventory summary report -- Chromium: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 930-B, 41 p.
- Papp, J.F., and Lipin, B.R., 2006, Chromite in Kogel, J.E., Trivedi, N.C., Barker, J.M., and Drukowski, S.T., Industrial Minerals and Rocks-Commodities, Markets, and Uses, 7th Edition, AIME, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., Littleton, CO, p. 309-333.
- Papp, J.F., 1988, Superalloy recycling 1976-1986, in Reichman, D.N., Duhl, G.M., Antolovich, S., and Lund, C., Proceedings of 6th International Symposium on Superalloys, Champion, PA, September 18-22, 1988, Metall. Soc., AIME, Warrendale, PA, 1988, pp. 367-376.
- Papp, J.F., 1991, Chromium, nickel, and other alloying elements in U.S.-produced stainless and heat-resisting steel: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9275, 41 p.
- Papp, J.F., 1993, Chromium, in Staff, Division of Mineral Commodities, Recycled metals in the United States: U.S. Bureau of Mines Special Publication, pp 9-11.
- Papp, J.F., 1993, Chromium, in Staff, Branch of Industrial Minerals and Branch of Metals, Chemical industry applications of industrial minerals and metals: U.S. Bureau of Mines Special Publication, pp 35-40.
- Papp, J.F., 1993, Chromium, in Staff, Branch of Metals and Branch of Industrial Minerals, Metal prices in the United States through 1991: U.S. Bureau of Mines Special Publication, pp 29-31.
- Papp, J.F., 1994, Chromium life cycle study: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9411, 41 p.
- Papp, J.F., 1994, Chromite in Carr, D.D., Industrial Minerals and Rocks, 6th Edition, AIME, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Littleton, CO, p. 209-228.
- Papp, J.F., 1995, Chromium metal: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9430, 64 p.