Indian Minerals Yearbook 2017

Indian Minerals Yearbook 2017

(Part- III : Mineral Reviews)

56th Edition

CHROMITE

(FINAL RELEASE)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

INDIAN BUREAU OF MINES

Indira Bhavan, Civil Lines, NAGPUR – 440 001

PHONE/FAX NO. (0712) 2565471

PBX : (0712) 2562649, 2560544, 2560648 E-MAIL : [email protected]

Website: www.ibm.gov.in

March, 2018

6 - 2

CHROMITE

6 Chromite

Chromite (Cr) is the single commerciallyviable ore of chromium which is chemically

known as iron chromium oxide (Fe Cr 2O4). Theproperties of chromium that make it most versatileand indispensable are its resistance to corrosion,oxidation, wear & galling and enhancement ofhardenability. Chromium is an important alloyingmetal in ferrous metallurgy, perhaps next only tomanganese. It is used in the manufacture of alloysalong with other metals, such as, nickel, cobalt,mol ybden um, copper, t i tan ium, z i r con i um,vanadium, columbium and selenium. Chromium istraded primarily as chromium ore or as an alloy ofchromium and iron, namely, ferrochrome or charge-chrome. The name of the element is derived fromthe Greek word 'chrôma', meaning colour, becausemany of its compounds are intensely coloured. Itis a steely-grey, lustrous, hard and brittle metalwhich takes a high polish, resists tarnishing andhas a high melting point.

RESERVES/RESOURCESAs per NMI database based on UNFC system,

the total reserves/resources of chromite in thecountry as on 1.4.2015 have been estimated at344 million tonnes with 102 million tonnes asReserves (30%) and 241 mil l ion tonnes asRemaining Resources (70%). More than 96%resources of chromite are located in Odisha,most ly in Ja jpur, Kendujhar and Dhenkanaldist r icts. Minor deposi ts ar e scat tered overManipur, Nagaland, Karnataka, Jharkhand,Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and AndhraPra desh . Gra dewise, Ch arge ch rome gr adea ccoun t s for 31% r esour ces fol l owed byBeneficiable grade (25%), Ferro-chrome grade(18%), and Refractory grade (14%). Low, Others,Unclassified and Not-known grades togetheraccount for 12% (Table- 1).

EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENTThe exploration and development details, if any,

are given in the review on Exploration & Developmentin "General Reviews".

PRODUCTION AND STOCKSThe production of chromite was 3,728 thousand

tonnes during 2016-17 which increased by 28% ascompared to that in the previous year.

The number of reporting mines was 25in 2016-17 same as that in the precedingyear. The share of public sector in total productionwas 34% in 2016-17 as compared to 37% in the previousyear. About 27% of the total production was reportedfrom captive mines in current year as compared to 32%in the previous year.

6 - 3

CHROMITE

Tabl

e –

1 :

Res

erve

s/R

esou

rces

of

Chr

omit

e as

on

1.4.

2015

(By

Gra

des/

Stat

es)

(In

'000

ton

nes)

Res

erve

sR

emai

ning

R

esou

rces

Tota

lG

rade

/Sta

tePr

oved

Prob

able

Tota

lFe

asib

ility

Pre-

feas

ibili

tyM

easu

red

Indi

cate

dIn

ferr

edR

econ

nais

sanc

eTo

tal

Res

ourc

esST

D11

1(A

)ST

D21

1ST

D33

1ST

D33

2ST

D33

3ST

D33

4(B

)(A

+B)

STD

121

STD

122

STD

221

STD

222

All

Indi

a :

To

tal

6446

512

815

2493

010

2210

6761

815

780

3350

626

914

3307

644

458

2045

224

1806

3440

16

By

Gra

des

Ref

ract

ory

2675

928

0341

629

978

9234

987

320

3635

550

2958

-17

684

4766

2

Cha

rge

chro

me

1647

6-

9328

2580

425

726

8333

4048

8931

2500

078

617

7990

510

5709

Low

--

--

2627

--

-37

13-

3765

3765

Ben

efic

iabl

e12

528

1001

290

1831

557

1799

222

7210

649

6856

6069

1030

1-

5413

985

697

Ferr

o-ch

rom

e78

09-

6033

1384

214

043

2004

1788

874

8311

3449

4210

4750

461

346

Oth

ers

133

--

133

348

377

--

15-

-74

087

3

Unc

lass

ifie

d76

1-

135

896

250

1780

602

930

814

506

1988

937

343

3823

9

Not

-kno

wn

--

--

-1

1-

-17

754

672

572

5

By

Stat

es

And

hra

Prad

esh

--

--

--

--

--

--

-

Jhar

khan

d-

--

--

--

1598

623

-73

673

6

Kar

nata

ka31

534

072

727

300

230

96-

2025

9-

905

1631

Mah

aras

htra

-48

2371

5-

543

6741

8-

538

609

Man

ipur

--

--

321

52-

504

6077

-66

5766

57

Nag

alan

d-

--

--

--

--

3200

-32

0032

00

Odi

sha

6415

012

427

2483

510

1412

6731

115

529

3335

426

850

3237

233

434

2045

222

9301

3307

14

Tam

il N

adu

--

--

--

-7

-27

6-

282

282

Tela

ngan

a-

--

--

--

-15

171

-18

618

6

Fig

ures

rou

nded

off

6 - 4

CHROMITE

Odisha continued to be the major chromitepr oduci ng sta te accoun t ing for a lm ost t heentire production during 2016-17 and nominalproduction was reported from Karnataka andMaharashtra.

Gradewise analysis of product ion during2016-17 reveals that 52% & above Cr 2O3 finesaccounted for 29%, 40 -52% Cr2O3 for 40% (Lumps4% and Fines 36%), below 40% Cr 2O3 for 18%(Lum ps 4% an d Fi nes 14%) a nd ch r om it econcentrates for 13% of the total production.

Mine-head closing stocks of chromite for theyear 2016-17 were at 2,694 thousand tonnes ascompared to 2,560 thousand tonnes in 2015-16.

The average daily employment of labour inchromite mines during 2016-17 was 7,066 asagainst 6,645 in the previous year (Tables- 2 to 8).

Table – 3 : Production of Chromite, 2014-15 to 2016-17(By States)

(Qty in tonnes; Value in ` ’000)

2 0 1 4 -1 5 2 0 1 5 -1 6 2 01 6-1 7 (P)Sta te

Q t y Value Q t y Value Q t y Value

India 2164 163 18800279 2915 584 21214490 3727 777 36438254

Karnataka 26 74 16044 18 08 10884 7 8 2 43 21

Maharashtra 2 6 7 9 9 0 4 3 2 1 5

Odisha 2161 463 18784156 2913 686 21203174 3726 994 36433928

Table – 4 : Gradewise Production of Chromite, 2015-16(By Sectors, States and Districts)

(Qty in tonnes; Value in ` '000)

Production by Grades : Cr2O3 ContentState/ No. of Below 40% 40-52% 52% & Above Concentrates TotalDistrict mines

Lumps Fines Lumps Fines Lumps Fines Quantity Value

India 2 5 111526 545119 52457 1057598 - 782097 366787 2915584 21214490Public sector 10 2636 173419 - 512552 - 346596 41321 1076524 10301399Private sector 1 5 108890 371700 52457 545046 - 435501 325466 1839060 10913091

Karnataka 3 1808 - - - - - - 1808 10884Hassan 3 1808 - - - - - - 1808 10884

Maharashtra 1 9 0 - - - - - - 9 0 432Bhandara 1 9 0 - - - - - - 9 0 432

O dis ha 2 1 109628 545119 52457 1057598 - 782097 366787 2913686 21203174Dhenkanal 2 * - - - - - - - - -Jajpur 1 5 109628 545119 52457 1057598 - 782097 366787 2913686 21203174Kendujhar 4 * - - - - - - - - -

* Only labour reported

Table – 2 : Principal Producers of Chromite2016-17

Name & address of Location of mine producer

State District

The Orissa Mining Odisha JajpurCorporation Ltd,'OMC House', Unit 5,Post Box No. 34,Bhubaneshwar – 751 001,Odisha.

The Tata Steel Ltd, Odisha JajpurBombay House,24, Homi Mody Street, Fort,Mumbai – 400 001,Maharashtra .

Balasore Alloys Ltd, Odisha JajpurBalgopalpur, P.O. Rasalpur,Balasore - 756 020,Odisha.

Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd, Odisha JajpurIMFABuilding,Bomikhal, KendujharRasulgarh, Bhubaneshwar – 751 010,Odisha.

Ferro Alloys Corporation Ltd, Odisha JajpurLaxmi Bhawan, Kuans,Bhadrak – 756 100,Odisha.

6 - 5

CHROMITE

Table – 5 : Gradewise Production of Chromite, 2016-17 (P)(By Sectors, States and Districts)

(Qty in tonnes; Value in ` '000)

Production by Grades : Cr2O3 Content

State/ No. of Below 40% 40-52% 52% & Above Concentrates TotalDistrict mines

Lumps Fines Lumps Fines Lumps Fines Quantity Value

India 2 5 126833 530912 142026 1354054 - 1101934 472018 3727777 36438254Public sector 10 2551 154180 200 696935 - 371048 46980 1271894 19465673Private sector 15 124282 376732 141826 657119 - 730886 425038 2455883 16972581

Karnataka 3 782 - - - - - - 782 4321Hassan 3 782 - - - - - - 782 4321

Maharashtra 1 1 - - - - - - 1 5Bhandara 1 1 - - - - - - 1 5

O dis ha 2 1 126050 530912 142026 1354054 - 1101934 472018 3726994 36433928Dhenkanal 2 * - - - - - - - - -Jajpur 1 5 125350 530912 141826 1354054 - 1101934 472018 3726094 36430036

Kendujhar 4 700 - 200 - - - - 900 3892

* Only labour reported

Table – 6 : Production of Chromite, 2015-16 and 2016-17(By Frequency Groups)

(Qty in tonnes)

No. of mines Production Percentage in total Cumulativefor the group production percentage

Production group2015-16 2016-17 (P) 2015-16 2016-17 (P) 2015-16 2016-17 (P) 2015-16 2016-17 (P)

Total 2 5 2 5 2915 584 3727 777 100 .00 100.00 - -

Up to 10000 1 3 1 3 18 98 16 83 0.07 0.04 0.07 0.04

10001- 100000 5 3 33 24 18 21 35 06 11.40 5.73 11.47 5.77

100001 - 200000 3 5 34 02 85 75 00 08 11.67 20.12 23.14 25.89

200001 - 300000 1 - 27 35 99 - 9 .38 - 32.52 25.89

300001 and above 3 4 1967 384 2762 580 67.48 74.11 100 .00 100.00

Table – 7 : Mine-head Closing Stocks of Chromite, 2015-16(By States/Grades)

( In tonnes)

Stocks by Grades: Cr2O3 Content

Sta te Below 40% 4 0 -5 2 % 52% and above Tota l

Lumps Fines Lumps Fines Lumps FinesConcen t r a tes Q ua nt ity

I nd ia 7 18 1 6 1 6 7 2 4 7 4 111 35 3 9 87 11 6 1 7 2 4 9 7 0 1 1 5 5 6 0 0 2 5 6 0 0 5 4

Karna ta k a 2 02 1 2 - - - - - - 2 02 1 2

Mahara shtr a 1 8 9 - - - - - - 1 8 9

Odisha 5 14 1 5 1 6 7 2 4 7 4 1 11 3 5 3 9 8 7 1 1 6 1 7 2 4 9 7 0 1 1 5 5 6 0 0 2 5 3 9 6 5 3

6 - 6

CHROMITE

Table – 8 : Mine-head Closing Stocks of Chromite, 2016-17 (P)(By States/Grades)

(In tonnes)

Stocks by Grades: Cr2O3 Content

State Below 40% 40-52 % 52% and above

QuantityLumps Fines Lumps Fines Lumps Fines

Concentrates Total

India 45397 1563637 15824 535100 617 406447 127423 2694445

Karnataka 20691 303 - - - - - 20994

Maharashtra 190 - - - - - - 190

Odisha 24516 1563334 15824 535100 617 406447 127423 2673261

MINING & TRANSPORTAt present, mining operations for chromite are

restr icted in the Sukinda ultramafic belt, in theBaula Nausahi chromite belt in Odisha, in Hassandistr ict of Karnataka and minor quantity is alsop r oduced i n Ma h a r a sh t r a . Th e m et h od ofexploitation of chromite in the areas includes bothopencast and underground mining. Chromiteoutcrops generally are under overburden coverof 3 to 9 m. The overburden is generally soft,consists of aluminous laterite, murrum and lateriteexcept in areas near the base of the Mahagiri Hill.The ore extracted from Kathpal mine and from allthe mines in the Baula Nausahi belt is hard andmassive. In all other mines, the ore occurs asfriable and powdery.

The excavation of overburden in opencastmines is done by digging with shovels.Theoverbur den gen er a t ed i s t h en l oa ded a n dtr anspor ted by t rucks & dumpers of 10 &35 tonnes capacity, respectively. In the case ofhard overburden of hard murrum or later ite orserpentinised quartzite etc. drilling and blastingprocedures are commonly utilised. Drilling is doneby jack hammer and blasting with appropriatequa n t i t y of exp l osi ves t o l oosen th e ha r dformations which enable removal of overburden.The ores are subsequently excavated, sorted andstacked. In manual mines, ore is extractedmanually by using pick axe.

South Kaliapani is the main chrome ore mineof Odisha Mining Corp. Ltd. In South Kaliapanimine nominal blasting is done to loosen the orewhich is then transported to stack yard and sorted

man ual l y. T he ores for dissemi nat i on a retransported and stacked separately.

Underground mining is practised in fourchromite mines viz. , Kathpal mine of M/s FACOR,Nausahi mine of M/s IMFA, Bangur chrome oremine of Odisha Mining Corp. Ltd and Baula mineof M/s FACOR. The Kathpal chromite mine ofM/s FACOR and Mahagiri mine of M/s IMFA areboth underground and opencast. Maheswari lodeis mined by underground method of miningwhereas Balaji lode is mined by opencast method.

ENVIRONMENTALPROBLEMS

The major problems associated with chromitemining are the pollution and degradation causedto the environment. The hexavalent chromium,especially in friable ore is the major cause ofconcern as it is carcinogenic in nature. Thehexavalent chromium contamination of waterbodies is a major issue that requires concertedattention.Viable treatment methods of pumpedwater, especially with ferrous sulphate solution,before it being discharged must be rigorouslyimplemen ted as r emedial measure. Fer roussulphate solution converts the hexavalent intot r ival en t form whi ch is n on -car ci nogen i c.Incidentally, Mining Research Cell, Indian Bureauof Mines, during 2008-09 undertook a study forattenuation of hexavalent chromium in Sukindachromite belt by bio-remediat ion technologywhich is apparently environment-friendly. Thiss tudy was a S & T Pr oject un der t a ken i nassoci a t i on wi th th e Ut kal Un i ver si t y. Airpollution by dumping is another major factor thatleads to environmental degradation particularlyduring dry season.

6 - 7

CHROMITE

Chromium contamination of air also comes fromemissions of coal-based power plants and industrialchimneys of iron & steel and ferro chrome industries,from spray paintings, chrome baths, refractoryindustries and mining of chromite and magnesite.In rural areas, chromium in atmosphere rarely exceeds1mg/cu m of air, but in towns with major iron & steelindustries the levels may be 1000 times more.

The inhalation of chromium compounds hasbeen associated with the development of cancer inworkers in the Chromite Industry. The relative riskfor developing lung cancer has been calculated tobe as much as 30 times. There is also evidence for anincreased risk of developing nasal, pharyngeal, andgast rointest inal carcinomas. Quant i ta tiveepidemiological data were obtained by Mancuso andHueper (1951), who observed increased occurrenceof deaths (18.2%; p<0.01) from respiratory canceramong chromite workers as compared with 1.2%deaths where controls were at place. In a follow-upstudy conducted when more than 50% of the cohortdied, the observed incidence for lung cancer deathshad increased to approximately 60%.

CONSUMPTIONThe consumption of ch romite in the

organised sector decreased by about 12% from24,47,800 tonnes in 2015-16 to 21,61,400 tonnes in2016-17. Almost the entire consumption (97%) wasby Ferro alloys/Charge chrome Industry. In additionto above, chromite in substantial quantities is alsoconsumed by small -scale fer rochrome un its,information for which is scarce. Besides, nominalconsumption is reported by Refractory Industry anda negligible amount by others. Data on consumptionof chromite and ferrochrome from 2014-15 to2016-17 are furnished in Tables- 9 & 10.

USESIn metallurgy, chromite is mainly used in the

manufacture of ferrochrome, silicochrome, chargechrome and chromium metal. Chromium impartsadditional strength, hardness and toughness to its

Table – 10 : Consumption* ofFerro chrome, 2014-15 to 2016-17

(By Industries)( In tonnes)

Industry 2014-15 2015-16(R) 2016-17 (P)

All Industries 275600 290200 15900

Alloy Steel 16300 30400 13600

Iron & Steel 258800 259200 2200

Others (Electrode

Foundry) 500 600 100Figures rounded o ff .* Includes actual reported consumption and/or estimatesmade wherever required . Coverage may not be completedue to paucity o f data.Ap pa r e n t c o n s u mp t io n o f f er r o -ch r o m e i s a r ou n d3,10,679 tonnes during 2016-17.

Table – 9 : Consumption* of Chromite2014-15 to 2016-17

(By Industries) (In tonnes)

Industry 2014-15 2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)

All Industries 2058200 2447800 2161400

Chemical 7800 9700 5500

Concentrates 33600 43000 47500

(Chrome ore/

chromite)

Ferro-alloys 1996100 2374300 2103000(including

charge-chrome)

Refractory 20000 20100 4700(includingiron & steel)

Others 700 700 700

(foundry, ceramic,glass)

Figures rounded o ff .* Includes actual reported consumption and/or estimatesmade wherever required . Coverage may not be completedue to paucity o f data. Whereas, the apparent con sumption for chromite was3,6 51,472 tonn es.

alloys. It also shows resistance to corrosion &prevents steel abrasion, reduces oxidation and flowof electricity. Stainless steel, high-speed tool steeland corrosion & heat-resistant steel are some ofthe important varieties of chromium steel.

6 - 8

CHROMITE

Ferro-chrome is of two types: (i) high carbon(containing 4-8% carbon) and (ii) low carbon(containing up to 2% carbon). The amount ofchromium used in steel varies with the purpose.Low chromium steels (less than 5% chromium andsma l l amoun t of n ickel) ar e used in r a i ls,automobi les, armour plates, armour piercingprojectiles, etc. Intermediate chromium steels (3-12% Cr and small amounts of W, Mo or Si) areused in high-speed tools, valves for engines andother equipment requiring resistance to abrasion,corrosion and oxidation. Chromium steels includestainless steel (12-18% Cr) and super-stainlesssteel (12-30% Cr and 7-10% Ni) which are usedfor cutlery and cooking utensils, in aircraft &high-speed trains, respectively. Chromium (17%)along with iron (83%) is also used as ferr iticstainless steel to manufacture coins.

Chromite is used in Refractory Industrybecause of its high chemical stability, its hightemperature resistance and corrosion resistantproperties. Further, its high melting point, abilityto withstand sudden temperature changes, itschemically neutral character, moderate thermalexpansion and mechan ical st rength besidesabundant availability and reasonable price areadded advantages for use in Refractory Industry.

Chromite is used for manufacturing importantch rom i um com poun ds l i ke ch r oma t es a n dbichromates of sodium and potassium, chromiumpigments like chromic oxide green and chromicacid, which in turn, are used in chromium-platingsolution.

Chromium is an essential trace element forhuman health. However, some of its compoundsare highly toxic and carcinogenic. Environmentconcerns have r educed the use of ch romiterefractories and chromium chemicals.

SUBSTITUTESDevelopment of substitutes for chromium

tends to be deterred by cost performance or thecustomer appeal for chromium. There are nosubstitutes for chromium in stainless steel orsuperal loys. Boron , manganese, n ickel andmolybdenum can be substituted in alloy steels andcast irons. Base metal alloys can sometimes beused in place of stainless steel. Dolomite is analternative for some refractory bricks. Cadmiumyellow is one of the several alternative pigments.However, it is not environmentally acceptable andnickel and zinc are possible substitutes for theprotection of decorative coatings.

SPECIFICATIONS

The specifica t ions of ch romite vary fordifferent end-use industries. The Cr:Fe ratio is oneof the important factors to be considered beforedeciding the end-use of the mineral. The ISspecifica t ions for meta l lurgical , r efr actory,chemical and foundry industries are detailed inTables -11 to 14.

Table – 11 : IS Specifications of Chromite for Metallurgical Industry (IS : 10818-1984)(Reaffirmed in Jan. 2014)

Grade (%)Sl CharacteristicNo. (on dry basis) Low carbon High carbon Silicochrome Charge chrome

ferrochrome ferrochrome1. Cr2O3 percent, min. 4 8 4 8 4 8 4 4

2. Total iron percent, max. (as FeO) 1 5 1 6 1 5 1 8

3. Al2O3 percent 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 0

4. SiO2 percent, max. 5 8 1 0 1 2

5. CaO percent, max. 5 5 5 5

6. MgO percent, max. 1 4 1 6 1 4 1 2

7. Sulphur* (as SO3) percent, max. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.14

8. Phosphorus* (as P2O5) percent, max. 0.005 0.02 0.02 0.2

9. Cr:Fe, min. 3:1 2.8:1 3:1 1.6:2

10. MgO:Al2O3 (range) – 1.2:1.4 – –

* Sulphur (as SO 3) and phosphorus (as P2O5) may be determined as agreed upon by the supplier and the purchaser.

6 - 9

CHROMITE

Table – 14 : IS Specifications of Chromite Sandfor Foundries

(IS : 6788-1973) ( Reaffirmed Feb. 2014)

a) Chemical

Sl Constituent RequirementN o. (on dry basis) (%)

1. Cr2O3 44 min.2 . Fe2O3 26 max.

3 . SiO2 4 max.4 . CaO 0.5 max.

5 . MgO As agreed6. Clay 0.75 max.

7 . LO I 1.0 max.

8 . Moisture 0.5 max.9 . pH value Between 7.0 and 9.0

b) PhysicalThe material shall be of two grades, namely,

fine and coarse. The shape of grains should bemostly sub-angular and the fusion point shouldnot be below 18000C. The fineness of the twogrades of chromite sand shall conform to thefollowing requirement :

Fract ion Retained onI.S. Sieve

Fine Grade (F) Coarse Grade (C)(%) (%)

71 0 micron – 5 max.

50 0 micron – 10 max.

35 5 micron – 1 0 -2 5

25 0 micron 3 max. 1 0 -2 5

21 2 micron 18 max. 1 0 -2 0

15 0 micron 1 0 -2 0

10 6 micron 70 min . 7 -2 0

7 5 micron 12 max.

P a n 12 max. 6 max.

INDUSTRYChromite is mainly used in Metallurgical Industry

for manufacture of ferro-alloys, e.g., ferro chrome,charge chrome and silico-chrome which are used asadditives in making stainless steel and special alloysteel. Ferro-alloys are the essential ingredients for theproduction of high quality special alloy steel as well asmild steel. The demand for ferro-alloys is associatedwith the production of alloy steel.

Production of ferro chrome/chargechrome wasmainly reported by Ferro Alloys Corp. Ltd, Shri VasaviIndustries Ltd, Balasore Industries Ltd, Tata Steel Ltd,Indian Metals & ferro-Alloys Ltd and Indian Charge-chrome Ltd (merged with Indian Metals & Ferro alloysLtd in 2006) were amongst the major producers ofcharge chrome in India. Charge chrome contains 50 to60% chromium and 6 to 8% carbon. Hard lumpy chromiteis used for high carbon ferro-chrome while friable oresand fine briquettes are used for low carbonferrochrome. Briquette fines along with lumpy ores werealso consumed in charge chrome plants.

Table – 12 : IS Specifications of Chromite forRefractory Industry(IS : 10819-1999)

(First Revision Oct. 2011)

a) ChemicalSl Characteristic Grade - I Grade - II Grade - IIINo. (on dry basis) (percent (percent (percent

by mass) by mass) by mass)

1. Loss on ignition 1.5 max. 1.5 max. 1.5 max.

2. Cr2O3 52 min. 50 min. 48 min.

3. Total iron (as FeO) 16 max. 18 max. 18 max.

4. SiO2 3 max. 7 max. 9 max.

5. MgO 15 max. 15 max. 15 max.

b) PhysicalAll the refractory grades of chromite are hard,

massive, fine-grained, serpentine-free lumpy oresand in the size range -50 mm to + 50 mm.

Table - 13: IS Specifications of Chromite forChemical Industry

(IS : 4737-1982) ( First Revision, Reaffirmed 2011)

Sl Characteristic RequirementNo. (on dry basis) (%)

1. Chromic oxide (as Cr2O3), percent by mass, min. 44 .0

2. Total iron (as FeO), percent by mass, max. 20.0

3 . Alumina (as Al2O3), percent by mass, max. 14.0

4. Silica (as SiO2), percent by mass, max. 7.0

5 . Lime (as CaO), percent by mass, max. 3.0

6 . Magnesia (MgO), percent by mass, max. 14.0

6-10

CHROMITE

The important plants which produce chromitebased refractories are Tata Steel Ltd (formerly OMCAlloys), Orissa Industries Ltd, Bhilai RefractoriesLtd, Burn Standard Co. Ltd, Joglekar Refractories andCeramics (P) Ltd and Associated Ceramics Ltd.

Ferrochrome when added to steel impartshardness, strength and augments its stainlesscharacteristics. Carbon content classifies theferrochrome alloy into high carbon (6-8%), mediumcarbon (3-4%) and low carbon (1.5-3%), althoughchromium content in all the three grades is around60-70 percent. Around 2.5 tonnes chrome ore with anestimated power consumption of 4,500 kWh isrequired to produce one tonne of ferrochrome.

Ferro Alloys Corpn. Ltd, Garividi, AndhraPradesh; GMR Technologies & Ind. Ltd, Srikakulam,Andhra Pradesh; Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, Raigarh,Chhattisgarh; Standard Chrome Ltd, Raigarh,Chhattisgarh; SAL Steel, Kachchh-Bhuj, Gujarat;Balasore Alloys Ltd, Balasore, Odisha; IDCOL FerroChrome Plant, Jajpur Road, Odisha; Indian Metals &Ferro Alloys Ltd, Theruballi, Odisha; Jindal StainlessLtd, Duburi, Odisha; Nava Bharat Ferro Alloys Ltd,Dhenkanal, Odisha; Rawat Ferro Alloys, Cuttack,Odisha; Rohit Ferro Tech. P. Ltd, Bishnupur, WestBengal; and Sri Vasavi Ind. Ltd, Bishnupur, WestBengal are the major ferrochrome producers in thecountry. A sizeable quantity of ferrochrome is alsoproduced by units in the Small-scale Sector.

In February 2017, Greenfield Ferro-chrome plantof 55,000 TPA capacity at Gopalpur of M/s Tata SteelLtd commenced production. Chromite mine atSukinda became the first unit to obtain IntegratedManagement System (IMS) certification (ISO9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007).Tata Steel Ltd, FACOR and Indian Metals & FerroAlloys Ltd (IMFA), the three major producers ofchargechrome in the country are 100% export-oriented, having a total capacity of 1,82,500 tpy. TataSteel with its chargechrome plant at Bamnipal, Odishahas a capacity of 55,000 tpy, while FACOR has acapacity of 65,000 tpy chargechrome at its RandiaPlant, Bhadrak district, Odisha. Indian Metals & FerroAlloys Ltd, (IMFA), Cuttack district, Odisha has aninstalled capacity of 62,500 tpy.

As per Annual Report 2015-16 of M/s Tata SteelLtd, the construction of the first phase of the ferro-chrome plant of 55,000 TPA in Gopalpur is in full swingand is expected to be commissioned in 2017-18.

An agreement has been executed betweenOdisha Mining Corp. Ltd (OMC) and M/s MBE-LMT(Formerly HWIPL) on 30-10-2009 for a newstandalone chrome ore beneficiation plant of feedcapacity 1.5 lakh TPA at South Kaliapani to upgradelow grade chrome ore to high grade. VishnuChemicals Ltd has plants at Medak, Visakhapatnam(Andhra Pradesh) and Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) whichproduces chromium products, such as, sodiumdichromate (70,000 tpy), basic chromium sulphate,chromic acid (1,000 t) and Potassium Dichromate(1,000 t). There were two producers of chromiumchemicals in small quantities in the organised sector,namely, Tamil Nadu Chromates and Chemicals Ltdand Krebs & Cie (India) Pvt. Ltd, Kolkata.

Commercially, chrome ore can be dividedinto three categories: (i) high-grade, containing >48%chromite, (ii) medium-grade with > 40% chromite and(iii) low-grade containing less than 40% chromite.Chromite with less than 40% is not exported underpresent trade policy.

Chromium metal and the alloy ferrochromium arecommercia l ly produced from chromite bysilicothermic or aluminothermic reactions, or byroasting and leaching processes. Chromium metalassumes high value due to its properties, such as,high corrosion resistance and imparting of hardness.

The discovery that steel could be madehighly resistant to corrosion and discolourationby adding metallic chromium to form stainless steelled to major developmen ts in the SteelSector. This application, along with chrome plating(electroplating with chromium) are currently the majorcommercial use for the element. The element alsofinds application in the production of chromiumcompounds, albeit to a minor extent.

The st r engthen ing effect of formingstable metal carbides at the grain boundaries andthe st rong increase in cor rosion r esistancehas made ch romium an impor tan t a l loyingmaterial for steel. The high-speed tool steels containbetween 3 and 5% chromium. Stainless steel, the maincorrosion-proof metal alloy is formed when chromiumis added to iron in sufficient concentrations usuallyabove 11%.

User's specifications of chromite in MajorConsuming Industries are furnished in Table-15.

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CHROMITE

Table – 15 : User's Specifications of Chromite in Major Consuming Industries

Industry/Name and location of plant Specifications of ore consumed

FERROCHROME/CHARGE CHROMEAndhra Pradesh/Telangana

Andhra Ferro Alloys Ltd, N.A.Kothavalasa, Distt. Vizianagaram.

Cronimet Alloys India Ltd, Lumps : Cr2O3 40% to 50%Ravivalasa Distt. Srikakulam. Fines : Cr2O3 40% to 52%

Concentrates : Cr2O3-40%

Ferro-Alloys Corp. Ltd, Lumps : Cr2O3 38% to 40%Shreeram Nagar, Distt. Vizianagaram. Fines : Cr2O3 38% to 40%

Friable : Cr2O3 48% to 50%Concentrates : Cr2O3 48% to 50%

JSL Ltd, (formerly Lumps : Cr2O3 38%Jindal Stainless Steel Ltd,) Cr:Fe : 2 : 9Jindal Nagar, Distt. Vizianagaram.

Metkore Alloys & Industries Ltd, N.A.Ravivalasa, Distt. Srikakulam.

Nav Bharat Ventures Ltd, Lumps: Cr2O3 28-42%Paloncha, Distt. Khammam. Fines: Cr2O3 48-50%, 52-54%

GMR Technologies & Industries Ltd, Lumps: Cr2O3 38-45%Ravivalasa, Distt. Srikakulam. Fines: Cr2O3 45-55 %

VBC Ferro Alloys Ltd, Lumps: Cr2O3 36-52%Rudragram, Distt. Medak, Telangana.

ChhattisgarhJindal Steel & Power Ltd, Lumps : Cr2O3+38%Raigarh. Cr:Fe : 2 : 9

Fines : Cr2O3+52%, Cr:Fe : 2:6

Deepak Ferro Alloys Ltd, Lumps : Cr2O3 36-40%Urla, Distt. Raipur. Fines : Cr2O3 48-52%

GujaratS.A.L. Steel Ltd, N.A.Bharapur, Gandhidham..

Jammu & KashmirShree Sitaram Industries Pvt. Ltd Lumps : Cr2O340% to 52%Distt. Samba. Fines : Cr2O340% to +52%,

Tawi Chemicals IndustriesDistt. Samba. N.A.

OdishaBalasore Alloys Ltd,(formerly Ispat Alloys Ltd,) Lumps : Cr2O3 -40%Balgopalpur, Distt. Balasore. Fines : Cr2O3 -40 to +52%

Ferro Alloys Corp. Ltd, Lumps : Cr2O3 N.A.;Charge Chrome Division, Friable : Cr2O3 40% & above;Randia, Distt. Bhadrak. Concentrates : N.A.

IDCOL Ferro Chrome & Alloys Ltd, Cr2O3 : 42-52%Jajpur Road, Distt. Cuttack. SiO2 6% max.

Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd, Lumps: Cr2O3 : -40 to >52%(Formerly, Indian Charge Chrome Ltd) SiO2 : 15% max.Choudwar, Distt. Cuttack. Fines: 40 to 50% & above

Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd, Lumps: Cr2O3 : -40 & 40 to 52%Therubali, Distt. Raygada Fines: Cr2O3 : -40 & 40 to >52%

Concentrates: N.A.

Rohit Ferro Tech. Ltd, (Unit 2) Lumps, fines & concentratesDuburi, Distt. Jajpur.

(Contd.)

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CHROMITE

Industry/Name and location of plant Specifications of ore consumed

Tata Steel Ltd, Cr2O3 : 47% min.(Formerly OMC Alloys Ltd) Size : 0-40 mmBamnipal, Distt. Keonjhar.

West BengalRohit Ferro Tech Ltd, (Unit 1) Lumps, fines & concentratesBishnupur, Distt. Bankura.

Shri Vasavi Industries Ltd, N.A.Distt. Bankura.

REFRACTORYChhatt isgarh

SAIL Refractories Unit, Friable lumps :Marauda, Distt. Durg. Cr2O3 : 52-54% min. SiO2 : 5% max.

Vishva Vishal Engineering Ltd, Bhilai, Durg. Cr2O3 : 50%, SiO2 : 4.5% max.Fe2O3 : 8%

MaharashtraJoglekar Refractories & Ceramics (P) Ltd, Lumps Cr2O3 44% min. CaO < 2%, Fe2O3 < 21%Rabale, Distt. Thane. Imported sand - 30 to +85 mesh, Cr2O3 45% min.

SiO2 < 1%, Fe2O3 < 27%O d is ha

Aarti Steels Ltd, N.A.Plot No. 18/1B, Sector-10, CDA,Cuttack-753 014.

Balasore Alloys Ltd, N.A.Balgopalpur, Balasore

Orissa Industries Ltd, Cr2O3 : 52-54%Lathikata Works, Fe2O3 : 15-18% max.Distt. Sundargarh. SiO2 : 3-5%

IFGL Refractories Ltd, Cr2O3 : 55% min. -16 to +22 meshKalunga, Distt. Sundargarh.

Maruti Monolithics (Pvt) Ltd, N.A.Choudwar, Distt. Cuttack.

TRL Krosaki Refractories Ltd, Cr2O3 : 48-50% min.Belpahar Distt. Jharsududa.

Shree Chem Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Cr2O3 : 54%Mandiyakudar, Distt. Sundargarh. SiO2 : 5-9% min.

Kalinga Ferro Ispat Pvt Ltd, Fines Cr2O3 : 40-52% & 52% & above,Mandia, Distt. Jajpur

Khemka Refractories Pvt. Ltd, Cr2O3 : 52% min., FinesKamakhyanagar - 759 018,Distt. Dhenkanal.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd, N. A.Kansbahal - 770 034,Distt. Sundergarh.

T. S. Alloys Ltd, N.A.Anantpur, Distt. Cuttack.

Tamil NaduBurn Standard Co. Ltd, Cr2O3 : 52-54% min., SiO2 : 3-5% max.Salem. Fe2O3 : 15-18% max.

C. Nataraj Ceramics & Chem. Industry Lumps, Cr2O3 + 44%. Fe2O3 -25%Dalmiapuram, Distt. Tiruchirapalli.

West BengalNational Refractories, Cr2O3 : 52% min., above finesP.O. Salampur - 713 357, Distt. Burdwan

CHEMICALSO d is ha

Krebs & Cei (India) Ltd, Cr2O3 : 48-55%Kalma, Distt. Mayurbhanj.

Table - 16 (Concld.)

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CHROMITE

Tariff ItemHS Code Item Export Policy Nature of Restriction

26100000 (a) Chrome ore other than Restricted Exports permitted under

(i) beneficiated chrome ore fines/concentrates licence other than categories(maximum feed grade to be less than given below42% Cr2O3); and

(ii) those categories of chrome ores mentionedas permitted through STEs(State Trading Enterprises)

26100030 (b) Beneficiated chrome ore fines/concentrates STE Export through MMTC Ltd26100040 (maximum feed grade to be less than 42% Cr2O3)

26100030 (c) Chrome ore lumps with Cr2O3 not exceeding 40% STE Export through MMTC Ltd

26100090 (d) Low silica friable/fine ore with Cr2O3 not STE Export through MMTC Ltdexceeding 52% and silica exceeding 4%

26100090 (e) Low silica friable/fine chromite ore with Cr2O3 STE Export through MMTC Ltdin the range from 52 to 54% and silicaexceeding 4%

TRADE POLICYThe Ministry of Commerce and Industry,

Depar t m en t of Comm er ce ha d com e ou twith the new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) for

the period 2015-2020. As per the present Export-Impor t Policy, the impor ts of chromium orelumps, friable ores and concentrates are freelyallowed. The export policy on chromite is statedas follows:

South Africa is by far the largest producer ofch romite ore and concen tr a tes fol lowed byTurkey, Kazakhstan and India. Finland, Brazil andAlbania are other important producers. In Europe,Finland and Albania are the major producingcountries.

The world production of chromite ores andconc. was 35 million tonnes in 2016 same as duringthe previous year. South Africa was the leadingproducer, contr ibuting about 42% to the totalworld production, followed by Turkey (19%),Kazakhstan (16%), and India (11%). Othersignificant producers were Finland, Brazil andAlbania (Table-17).

Upgr adat i on of t echn ology a nd adva n-cement in beneficia tion processes, such as,agglomerat ion of ore, pre-heating and pre-r educt ion of fu rna ce feed , cl osed-furna cetechnology and recovery of chromium from slagshave brought about significant changes and arenow followed worldwide.

WORLD REVIEWWorld resources of shipping-grade chromite are

about 5.1 billion tonnes in terms of chromium metalcontent. Countries that possess sizeable quantitiesof resources are Kazakhstan (45%) and South Africa(39%). These two countries together hold about 84%of world's chromium resources. Whereas, Indiapossesses 11% of world resources of chromite. Theavailable data on world reserves of chromite(shipping grade) is shown in Table-16.

Table – 16 : World Reserves of Chromite(Shipping Grade)

(By Principal Countries)

(In '00 0 tonnes of chromium content)

Cou nt ry Reserves

Wo rld: Total (rounded of f) 5 ,1 0 ,00 0India 5 4 ,0 0 0Kazak hsta n 2 ,3 0 ,00 0South Africa 2 ,0 0 ,00 0T u rk ey 2 6 ,0 0 0USA 6 2 0Other cou ntri es N A

Source: Mineral Commodity Summaries, 2018.Shipping grade - Deposit quantity and grade normalisedto 45% Cr2O3.

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CHROMITE

FOREIGN TRADEExports

Exports of chromite increased sharply to 230thousand tonnes in 2016-17 from 72 thousandtonnes in the previous year. Out of total chromiteexported in 2016-17, the share of about 65% wasof chromite concentrate, while chromite ore(others) accounted for 35%. There were no exportof chrome ore lumps in 2016-17. Exports werem a i n l y t o Ch i n a (93%) a n d Ja pa n (7%) .In 2016-17, 80 tonnes of chromium & alloys(scrap) were exported registering increase of 38%from that of the preceding year. Expor ts ofchromium & Alloys (scrap) were main ly toUSA (47%) , I t a ly (30%) , Per u (11%) a ndBrazil (5%)(Tables-18 to 25).

The expor ts deta ils of ferro chrome arefurnished in the Review entitled, 'Ferro-alloys'.

Table – 17 : World Mine Production ofChromium Ores and Concentrates

(By Principal Countries)(In '00 0 tonnes)

Cou nt ry 2 0 1 4 2 0 1 5 2 0 1 6

World: Total (rounded off) 3 31 0 0 3 48 0 0 3 48 0 0

Alba nia 6 8 4 6 4 0 7 1 3

Brazil 7 1 7 7 0 0 e 7 0 0 e

Finland a 1 0 3 5 9 4 6 1 0 7 0

India 2 1 6 4 2 9 1 6 3 7 2 8

I r a n 3 5 9 2 7 7 2 7 5 e

Kazak hsta n 5 4 1 1 5 3 8 3 5 5 4 6

O ma n 7 5 1 4 4 3 4 5 1

Pak ista n e 3 5 0 3 3 0 2 3 0

Russia 3 8 0 5 0 3 5 0 3 e

South Africa 1 40 3 8 1 56 8 4 1 47 0 5

T u rk ey 6 6 1 1 66 00 e 66 00 e

Zimbabwe 4 0 8 2 0 8 1 1 2

Other cou ntri es 2 0 2 1 4 4 1 3 7

Source: World Mineral Production, 2012-16.e:- Estimateda:- Concentrates

Table – 19 : Exports of Chrome Ore Lumps(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country

Qty Value Qty Value(t ) (`'000) (t ) (`'000)

All Countries ++ 1 4 - -

Chile ++ 1 4 - -

Table – 18 : Exports of Chromite : Total(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country

Qty Value Qty Value(t ) ( `'000) (t ) (`'000)

All Countries 71839 1314085 230531 3657700

China 57696 1024967 213373 3320174

Japan 14128 288683 17158 337519

Australia - - ++ 7

South Africa 1 0 228 - -

Egypt 5 193 - -

Chile ++ 1 4 - -

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CHROMITE

Table – 20 : Exports of Chrome Ore Concentrates(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 69972 1287852 149029 2566395

China 55844 999169 131871 2228876

Japan 14128 288683 17158 337519

Table – 21 : Exports of Chrome Ore (Others) (By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 1867 26219 81502 1091305

China 1852 25798 81502 1091298

Australia - - ++ 7

South Africa 1 0 228 - -

Egypt 5 193 - -

Table – 22 : Exports of Chromium & Alloys (Scrap)(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 5 8 50866 8 0 63279

USA - - 3 8 22282

Ita ly 2 0 19860 2 4 22219

Peru 5 4659 9 8012

Brazil 5 5749 4 4589

Netherlands - - ++ 2787

Indonesia 4 2757 2 1171

Egypt 1 372 1 668

Pakistan 1 411 1 619

Kenya 1 510 ++ 208

Chile ++ 7 8 ++ 182

Other countries 2 1 16470 1 542

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CHROMITE

Table – 23 : Exports of Chromium Articles, Nes(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries ++ 1 3 ++ 243

UAE - - ++ 8 6

Germany - - ++ 7 8

Philippines - - ++ 6 6

Singapore - - ++ 1 1

Sri Lanka ++ 1 3 ++ 2

Table – 24 : Exports of Chromium & Scrap(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries ++ 9 ++ 1

UAE - - ++ 1

Vietnam ++ 9 - -

Table – 25 : Exports of Chromium Unwrought : Powder(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 5 8 50844 8 0 63035

USA - - 3 8 22282

Ita ly 2 0 19860 2 4 22219

Peru 5 4659 9 8012

Brazil 5 5749 4 4589

Netherlands - - ++ 2787

Indonesia 4 2757 2 1171

Egypt 1 372 1 668

Pakistan 1 411 1 619

Kenya 1 510 ++ 208

Chile ++ 7 8 ++ 182


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CHROMITE

ImportsImports of chromite decreased sharply to 154

thousand tonnes in 2016-17 from 188 thousandtonnes in the previous year. Out of total quantityof chromite imported in 2016-17, lumpy chromiteaccounted for 67%, while concentrate and otherforms accounted for the remaining 33%. Importswere mainly from South Africa (53%) and Oman(31%). Imports of chrome ore conc. were mainlyfrom South Africa (50%) and Zimbawe (32%).

Imports of chromium and alloys in 2016-17 were982 tonnes as compared to 840 tonnes in thepr evious year. Impor ts were ma in ly fr omRussia (76%), UK (12%) and France (8%). Importsof chromium and scrap sharply decreased tonegligible in 2016-17 from 7 tonnes in 2015-16(Tables-26 to 33).

Th e im por t det a i ls of fer r och r om e ar efurnished in the Review entitled 'Ferro-alloys'.

Table – 26 : Imports of Chromite : Total(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 187663 2266406 154226 2105121

South Africa 140116 1787926 82167 1405005

Oman 31946 260243 48489 380830

Pakistan 7859 105131 6605 100102

Madagascar 3185 42451 7503 89185

Zimbabwe - - 4492 62208

Turkey 934 10166 2354 25283

Netherlands 786 24030 817 23968

Iran 519 5389 1721 16901

UK - - 7 2 1498

China - - 5 9 2


Table – 27 : Imports of Chrome Lump(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 153487 1714028 103098 1416556

South Africa 110278 1312822 65549 1098112

Oman 31946 260243 30071 213118

Pakistan 7659 97749 5537 85580

Madagascar - - 973 11101

Iran 519 5389 963 8553

China - - 5 9 2

Albania 2151 27659 - -

Turkey 934 10166 - -

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CHROMITE

Table – 29 : Imports of Chrome Ore Others(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 22981 346341 40062 520622

South Africa 18751 271263 11130 212779

Oman - - 18418 167712

Madagascar 3185 42451 5529 68259

Netherlands 786 24030 817 23968

Turkey - - 1839 18301

Zimbabwe - - 996 12406

Pakistan 200 7382 574 8800

Iran - - 758 8348

Germany - - 1 4 9

Ecuador 5 4 1108 - -

Other countries 5 107 - -

Table – 28 : Imports of Chrome Ore Concentrate(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 11195 20 60 37 11066 16 79 43

South Africa 11087 20 38 41 54 88 94114

Zimbabwe - - 34 96 49802

Madagascar - - 10 01 98 25

Tu rk ey - - 5 1 5 69 82

Pakistan - - 4 9 4 57 22

UK - - 7 2 14 98

USA 1 0 8 21 96 - -

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CHROMITE

Table – 30 : Imports of Chromium & Alloys(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 840 540333 982 534573

Russia 509 269784 744 358769

UK 139 91784 116 72090

France 3 5 20390 7 5 38911

USA 1 0 29224 7 27844

Germany 1 8 37610 1 10090

China 113 56904 2 0 9645

Japan 6 10164 3 5222

Netherlands 5 2731 1 0 4956

Korea, Rep. of ++ 1482 5 3818

Singapore 5 19847 1 3181

Other countries ++ 413 ++ 4 7

Table – 31 : Imports of Chromium Unwrought : Powders(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 760 440797 922 468960

Russia 509 269784 744 358769

UK 106 61280 7 7 46212

France 5 2654 6 0 30110

USA 6 11481 6 11364

China 111 55119 1 6 6910

Japan 6 9825 3 5177

Netherlands 5 2731 1 0 4956

Singapore ++ 745 1 2722

Korea, Rep. of - - 5 2714

Germany 1 2 27178 ++ 2 6

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CHROMITE

Table – 33: Imports of Chromium & Scrap(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 7 22199 ++ 1085

UK ++ 1134 ++ 923

USA 3 5587 ++ 162

Singapore 4 15429 - -

Hong Kong ++ 4 9 - -

Table – 32 : Imports of Chromium Articles, Nes(By Countries)

2015-16 (R) 2016-17 (P)Country


All Countries 7 3 77337 6 0 64528

UK 3 3 29370 3 9 24955

USA 1 12156 1 16318

Germany 6 10432 1 10064

France 3 0 17736 1 5 8801

China 2 1785 4 2735

Korea, Rep. of ++ 1482 ++ 1104

Singapore 1 3673 ++ 459

Japan ++ 339 ++ 4 5

Switzerland ++ 153 ++ 3 6

Czech Republic - - ++ 1 1

Other countries ++ 211 - -

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CHROMITE

FUTURE OUTLOOKThe Report of the Working Group for 12

th Plan

Period, Planning Commission, (erstwhile) whichis presently Niti Aayog, has estimated chromiteproduction at about 7.37 million tonnes by 2016-17 at 8% growth rate. The apparent consumptionis estimated at 4.35 million tonnes by 2016-17 at8% growth rate. The Working Group had alsomade following recommendations: (i) Chromiteresources are located to the extent of 90% inOdisha, predominantly in Sukinda Valley. Themines are going deeper and ore is becoming friableat lower levels. Exploration of deep-seated orebodies needs to be carried out on an urgent basis.(ii) Exploration efforts also need to be intensifiedto identify more deposits of chromite in thecountry. Underground mining technology needsto be promoted. (iii) Suitable technology needsto be developed for beneficiation of low-grade,friable chromite ore (30% Cr

2 O

3) fines which are

available in sizeable quantity in India. (iv) Furtherr es t r i c t i on s on expor t s of ch rom i t e or e /concentrates are desirable in view of the limitedresources in India and the increasing demand ofthe Steel Industry (v) R & D is required fordevelopment of suitable technology for extractionof nickel from the chromite overburden from theSukinda area of Odisha.

Besides, environmental concerns associatedwith Chromite Industry are too many whichwould attract considerable attention. Each andevery anthropogenic activity that contr ibuteshexavalent chromium to the environment shouldbe regulated in such a manner so that the adverseimpacts are contained within reasonable limits. Forthis, regular monitoring is highly essential byr egul a t or y au t h or i t i es t o con t r ol t h econtamination caused by Cr.

+VI.

The current status of chromite production andconsumption is on anticipated lines, but theconsumption could increase alarmingly in thecoming years and the country may have to dependon impor ts even for the domest ic needs ofchromite. Depletion of reserves is bound to createa serious problem for the future of the ChromiteIndustry in the country. An Expert Committeeconstituted by the Ministry of Steel, Governmentof India, in its recommendations put forth theneed for detailed exploration of chromite in all thepotential areas in Odisha, Karnataka and ophiolitebelt of North-Eastern region with a view toprognosticate resources to a depth of 500 m inSukinda belt and estimate resources in all otherpot en t i a l a r ea s . Addr ess i n g con cer ns i nferrochrome production which is electrical energyintensive segment is also essential. Setting up ofsuch plant must strike a cost balance between rawmaterials and electrical energy supply. There areother imminent issues that need redressal inrespect of the continuous and unscrupulousexploitation of chromite.

In coming days, increase in royal ty ondomestically produced chromite from 10% to15% by Government of India is also bound to haveits impact on the Industry. It will see radicaltransformation in the efforts undertaken to meetthe challenges. Adherence to stringent pollutioncon t rol n or ms , i nn ova t i on s i n th e p rocesstechnology and plant equipment design wouldbecome inevitable for the future of the industry.

As per the Annual Report 2016-17 of M/sBalasore Alloys Ltd, the demand for ferrochromeis driven primarily by the demand for stainlesssteel. Global stainless steel production growth isexpected to average +2.6% per annum up to 2021,driven mainly by China (due to relative scarcity)and consequently the demand for virgin chromeunits will continue to be robust.

Indian Minerals Yearbook 2017

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