Infographic

Chromium in numbers

Chromium (Cr) drawn as one poster: 51 Mt of world mine production in 2025, South Africa the largest producer, 5 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025ChromiumCrAlloying metal · symbol CrChromium is the key ingredient of stainless steel; it is supplied as chromite ore and smeltedinto ferrochrome.WORLD MINE PRODUCTION 202551 Mtmarketable chromite ore, gross weight. USGS MineralCommodity Summaries.TOP PRODUCER: SOUTH AFRICA45%23 Mt of the world total in 2025.WORLD RESERVES 2025540 MtLargest in South Africa (110 Mt). Cr2O3 content.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS5Current government critical or strategic lists namingchromium, across 5 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS76%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 202579%PRICE 2025290 $/tTOP PRODUCERS 2025Where chromium comes fromSouth Africa23 Mt45%Türkiye9.0 Mt18%Kazakhstan7.0 Mt14%India3.0 Mt5.9%Brazil2.0 Mt3.9%Zimbabwe2.0 Mt3.9%Finland1.9 Mt3.7%Mine production, marketable chromite ore, gross weight. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.Chromite output was about 51 Mt (gross weight) in 2025: South Africa 23 Mt (about 45%), Turkey 9 Mtand Kazakhstan 7 Mt, then India, Brazil, Zimbabwe and Finland. South Africa and Kazakhstan hold mostreserves.1900–2022A century of chromium production0.00 t3.8 Mt7.5 Mt11 Mt15 Mt190019171935195219701987200520222022: 13 Mt1900: 16 ktWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES7 countries reported chromium output in 2025Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest chromium trade routesSouth Africa → China$1.4 bnSouth Africa → Mozambique$1.1 bnKazakhstan → China$1.1 bnSouth Africa → Indonesia$737 mKazakhstan → Japan$383 mHS 720241: Ferro-chromium, >4% carbon. World trade $8.9 bn in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025Australia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024South Korea: critical 2023China: strategic 2016prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Chromium infographic: world production, top producers, reserves, a century of output, producing countries on a map, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World mine production, 2025
51 Mt (marketable chromite ore, gross weight) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
South Africa, 23 Mt (45% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
76% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World reserves, 2025
540 Mt (Cr2O3 content), largest in South Africa USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
5 current lists in 5 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, China, South Korea, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
79% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
290 $/t (Price: Chromite ore (gross weight), dollars per metric ton) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1900
16 kt (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2022 (historical series)
13 Mt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest trade flow, 2024
South Africa → China, $1.4 bn (HS 720241, Ferro-chromium, >4% carbon); world trade $8.9 bn CEPII BACI trade database

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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Chromium storyWhere chromium is minedCritical mineral listsAll infographics