While many minerals contain chromium, chromite (FeCr 2O4) is the only commercial ore mineral. Chromite has several industrial end uses, primarily based on its Cr: Fe content. High chromium ores (defined by having high Cr: Fe ratios) are used for producing ferro-chromium for metallurgical applications such as stainless steel (the most important application by volume (85%) and special uses (superalloys, special steels, plating). High iron chromitites are being used for the production of low quality ferro chromium, foundry sands, chromium salts (used in the leather tanning industry, as a pigment and in chromium plating) and refractory purposes (production of magnesite-chromite and chromite-magnesite bricks). South Africa, Kazakhstan and Turkey are the world’s largest producers of chromite ore.

There are no economical substitutes for chromite ore in the production of ferrochromium (i.e. stainless steel), chromium chemicals, or chromite refractories at present. Currently, chromium free substitutes either compromise product quality and/or increase costs.