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Chromium Ore, Chromite, Properties, Uses, Distribution Map

Chromium ore is a naturally occurring mineral. Odisha is the sole producer of chromite in India. Know all about Chromium Ore, Properties, Uses, & Distribution Map in this article for UPSC exam.

manishsiq Published On October 4th, 2024 Leave a comment

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Chromium Ore

Chromium is an important metal used to make strong alloys with other metals like nickel, cobalt, and copper. It is also used in various industries, including metallurgy and chemicals. Chromium makes these alloys stronger, harder, and tougher. Chromite (Cr) is the only ore that is commercially viable for chromium. It is a shiny, hard, and brittle steel-grey metal with a high melting point that can be polished and doesn’t tarnish easily. Its resistance to rust, oxidation, and wear makes chromium very useful and essential.

Read about: Iron Ore

Chromite Ore Distribution in India

India’s chromite reserves are estimated to be 203 MT. Odisha has more than 93 percent of the resources (Sukinda valley in Cuttack and Jajapur). Manipur, Nagaland, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh have minor deposits. Odisha is the sole producer of Chromite Ore (around 99 per cent). Over 85% of the ore is high quality, mainly from Keonjhar, Cuttack, and Dhenkanal. Karnataka is the second-largest producer, with the most coming from Mysore and Hassan districts. Other producers include Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh and Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts in Manipur.

Read More: Manganese Ore

Chromite Distribution in World

The mineral chromite is the primary source of chromium. South Africa, Kazakhstan, India, Albania, and Turkey are among the countries that mine it. Here is the map of Chromite Distribution in the World attached below:

Read More: Cobalt Ore

Chromium Ore Properties

Chromium ore is a naturally occurring mineral that contains the metal chromium. It is usually found in mineral deposits like ultramafic rocks and chromite seams. The ore is processed to make metallic chromium, which is used in making stainless steel, chromium plating, and as an alloy in cast iron and steel. Chromium is a gleaming, brittle, and hard metal. It has a silver-grey color and can be highly polished. It does not tarnish in the air, but when heated, it gives birth to and forms green chromic oxide. Because chromium is unstable in oxygen, it forms an impermeable oxide layer that protects the metal beneath.

Read about: Energy Resources

Chromium Ore Uses

Chromium ore is processed to produce metallic chromium, which is then used in various applications, including:

It is an important part of stainless steel, making it strong and resistant to rust.
It is used for electroplating to give metal objects a tough, protective coating.
It is added to cast iron and steel to improve their strength and durability.
It is used in tanning leather to make it strong and long-lasting.
Chromium compounds are used as colors in paint, ceramics, and plastics.
It serves as a catalyst in making chemicals and refining oil.
It is also used to make materials that can withstand high temperatures, like furnace linings.

In summary, chromium ore is a valuable resource for various industries due to its unique properties, including its strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion.

Read More: Types of Resources

Chromium Ore UPSC

Chromite ore (also known as chrome ore) is used in the metallurgical industry to make chromium ferroalloys and metals. It is also used in the chemical industry to produce sodium dichromate, which is a chemical industry product as well as an intermediate product used in the production of other chromium chemicals.

FAQs

What are the ores of chromium?

The mineral chromite is the only source of chromium, and it accounts for 99 percent of the world's supply.

Where is chromite ore found in India?

More than 96% of chromite resources are found in Odisha, primarily in the districts of Jajpur, Kendujhar, and Dhenkanal. Minor deposits can be found in Manipur, Nagaland, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, among other places.

What is chrome ore used for?

The most common uses for chromium ores are in the production of stainless steel, grey cast iron, iron-free high-temperature alloys, and chromium plating for surface protection. Chromium ores are used in the chemical industry to make chromium compounds for leather tanning.

Which is India's largest chromite mine?

The Sukinda chromite valley in Odisha is India's largest chromite deposit (193 million tonnes total reserve) and accounts for 98% of the country's chromite ore produced by opencast mines.

What is the difference between chromite and chromium?

The mineral source of chromium is chromite, also known as iron chromium oxide (FeCr2O4). In its purest form, chromite contains 68% chromium (Cr2O3) and 32% iron oxide (FeO). Due to the natural replacement of chromium and ferrous iron by other elements, high-purity chromite deposits are rare.

What is the main source of chromium metal?

Chromium is mostly found in chromite. This ore can be found in a variety of locations, including South Africa, India, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. Chromium metal is typically made by reducing chromite with carbon in an electric-arc furnace, or by reducing chromium(III) oxide with aluminium or silicon.

What is the origin of chromite ore?

The exact age & origin of chromite ore deposits can vary depending on the deposit, but many are thought to have formed between 1 & 3 billion years ago during the Earth's early history. The Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe contain the majority of the world's known chromite.