The widest usage of chromium is in the making of metal alloys.Chromium (VI) compounds, including chromate anion (CrO4 2-), are powerful oxidizing agents. Large number of chromium compounds are present, such as compound of chromium with sulfuric and hydrochloric acid. The predominant and most stable oxidation state of chromium is +3. Chemical CharacteristicsĬhromium form variety of compounds and exists in many oxidation states, including +3, +6, +1. It is very dense metal and has a thermal conductivity of 93.9 W. Chromium has outstanding magnetic properties. It is resistant to tarnishing upon exposure with air. Chromium has a highly polishable texture. It is shiny, hard and brittle metal, that is easy to break. Physical CharacteristicsĬhromium is steel-gray in color. The annual production of chromite is about 28.8 million metric tons, which is primarily being used in the production of steel. Russia has deposits of the rare native form of chromium in Udachnaya Pipe, from which native chromium and diamonds are extracted. The largest producer of chromite is South Africa, followed by India, Brazil, Turkey, Finland and Kazakhstan. Volcanic activities also play important role in the distribution of chromium. Chromium is released in the environment by erosion of rocks that contain chromium. Chromite is the principal source of chromium that is used in pigments, worldwide. It is present in form of various ores, and the most common ore is iron chromium oxide FeCr 2 O 4, which is termed as chromite. Ĭhromium is the 13 th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. Chromium has a distinct shine and forms various compounds in different colors that include green, purple, black, yellow, and orange. The name was given to this metal as it exists in diverse colors and was suggested by, Antoine Francois de Fourcroy (1755-1809) and René-Just Haüy (1743-1822).

The name chromium has been derived from Greek word, chroma, which means color. Later, chromium was discovered as a novel, and isolated metal by Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin in 1797. History and DiscoveryĬhromium was initially discovered in red crystalline mineral form, known Siberian red lead, by Johann Gottlob Lehmann (1766). It has a shiny surface that is resistant to corrosion and this quality makes its ideal for manufacturing and coating of wide range of material, including cars and bikes. Chromium is a transition metal that was discovered by Gottlob Lehmann in 1766.

Chromium symbol