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This table presents comprehensive data on the supply, distribution, consumption, and pricing of chromium in the United States over the period from 2019 to 2023. It includes detailed figures on secondary supply from recycled scrap, imports and exports of various chromium forms such as chromite ore, chromium chemicals, ferroalloys, and metal, as well as stocks held by industry. Additionally, the table covers apparent consumption, stainless steel production, and trade values, providing a holistic view of chromium’s role in the U.S. economy. This information is crucial because chromium is a key element in stainless steel production and other industrial applications, influencing sectors like manufacturing, construction, and defense. Tracking these statistics helps stakeholders understand market dynamics, supply chain dependencies, and price trends that impact economic planning and industrial competitiveness.
Analyzing the data reveals several notable trends and shifts in recent years. Total U.S. chromium supply peaked in 2022 at 754,000 metric tons of chromium content before declining sharply to 582,000 metric tons in 2023, a decrease of nearly 23%. Imports of chromium ferroalloys dropped significantly from 263,000 metric tons in 2022 to 166,000 metric tons in 2023, while imports of chromite ore also declined from 92,500 to 77,300 metric tons. Apparent consumption followed a similar pattern, falling from 617,000 metric tons in 2022 to 430,000 metric tons in 2023. Meanwhile, prices for chromite ore and ferrochromium remained elevated in 2023, with chromite ore prices rising to $321 per metric ton and ferrochromium prices at $2.55 per pound, reflecting ongoing supply constraints and market volatility. On the trade front, net imports decreased from 1.49 million thousand dollars in 2022 to 846 million in 2023, indicating a contraction in trade volume or value. Globally, world chromium production remained robust, reaching 9.94 million metric tons in 2023, underscoring the U.S. market’s reliance on international supply chains.
| TABLE 1 | ||||||||||||
| SALIENT CHROMIUM STATISTICS1 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||
| Components of U.S. supply, chromium content: | ||||||||||||
| Secondary supply, recycled scrap2 | metric tons | 134000 | r | 112000 | r | 147000 | r | 138000 | r | 126000 | ||
| Imports: | ||||||||||||
| Chromite ore | do. | 92500 | 83200 | 107000 | 92500 | 77300 | ||||||
| Chromium chemicals3 | do. | 4070 | r | 4950 | r | 5500 | 6430 | 4820 | ||||
| Chromium ferroalloys | do. | 254000 | 202000 | 243000 | 263000 | r | 166000 | |||||
| Chromium metal | do. | 14400 | 11600 | 12100 | 14900 | 12400 | ||||||
| Stainless-steel mill products and scrap2 | do. | 165000 | 146000 | 204000 | 233000 | 191000 | ||||||
| Stocks, January 1, industry4 | do. | 5060 | 4970 | 5720 | 6000 | 5080 | ||||||
| Total | do. | 669000 | r | 565000 | r | 725000 | r | 754000 | r | 582000 | ||
| Distribution of U.S. supply, chromium content: | ||||||||||||
| Exports: | ||||||||||||
| Chromite ore5 | do. | 1400 | 1470 | 1550 | 1700 | 1650 | ||||||
| Chromium chemicals3 | do. | 226 | 121 | 101 | 191 | 129 | ||||||
| Chromium ferroalloys and metal | do. | 1370 | 1200 | 2130 | 2310 | r | 1930 | |||||
| Stainless-steel mill products and scrap2 | do. | 146000 | 135000 | 110000 | 128000 | 143000 | ||||||
| Stocks, December 31, industry4 | do. | 4970 | 5720 | 6000 | 5080 | 4740 | e | |||||
| Total | do. | 154000 | 144000 | 120000 | 137000 | r | 152000 | |||||
| Consumption: | ||||||||||||
| Apparent, chromium content6 | do. | 516000 | r | 421000 | r | 605000 | r | 617000 | r | 430000 | ||
| Reported: | ||||||||||||
| Chromite ore and concentrates, gross weight | do. | W | W | W | W | W | ||||||
| Chromium ferroalloys:7 | ||||||||||||
| Gross weight | do. | 465000 | 345000 | 327000 | 230000 | 207000 | e | |||||
| Chromium content | do. | 267000 | 199000 | 189000 | 134000 | 120000 | e | |||||
| Chromium metal, gross weight | do. | 4860 | 4580 | 4550 | 4450 | 4000 | e | |||||
| Stocks, December 31, gross weight, industry, consumer: | ||||||||||||
| Chromium ferroalloys8 | do. | 4600 | r | 4450 | r | 4810 | r | 4900 | r | 4430 | e | |
| Chromium metal | do. | 282 | 273 | 279 | 273 | r | 250 | e | ||||
| Other9 | do. | 4570 | r | 4600 | r | 4710 | r | 4400 | r | 4380 | e | |
| Price, average annual: | ||||||||||||
| Chromite ore, gross weight10 | dollars per metric ton | 167 | r | 158 | r | 199 | r | 277 | r | 321 | ||
| Ferrochromium, chromium content11 | dollars per pound | 1.02 | r | 0.89 | r | 1.5 | r | 3.19 | r | 2.55 | ||
| Aluminothermic chromium metal, gross weight12 | do. | 3.94 | r | 3.1 | r | 4.23 | r | 7.2 | r | 5.05 | ||
| Value of trade: | ||||||||||||
| Imports | thousands | 779000 | 545000 | 898000 | 1520000 | 873000 | ||||||
| Exports | do. | 25200 | 19000 | 24100 | 25100 | r | 27400 | |||||
| Net imports13 | do. | 753000 | 526000 | 874000 | 1490000 | 846000 | ||||||
| Stainless steel: | ||||||||||||
| World production, chromium content14 | metric tons | 8880000 | 8800000 | 9910000 | 9390000 | 9940000 | ||||||
| United States: | ||||||||||||
| Production: | ||||||||||||
| Gross weight15 | do. | 2590000 | 2140000 | 2370000 | 2020000 | r | 1820000 | |||||
| Chromium content16 | do. | 455000 | 375000 | 407000 | 346000 | r | 312000 | |||||
| Average grade, dimensionless17 | 0.1755 | 0.1749 | 0.1719 | 0.1715 | 0.171 | |||||||
| Shipments, gross weight12 | metric tons | 2280000 | 1990000 | 2250000 | 1990000 | 1660000 | ||||||
| Imports, gross weight | do. | 767000 | 642000 | 930000 | 1130000 | 914000 | ||||||
| Exports, gross weight | do. | 436000 | 321000 | 355000 | 349000 | r | 335000 | |||||
| Scrap, gross weight: | ||||||||||||
| Receipts | do. | 791000 | r | 659000 | r | 867000 | r | 814000 | r | 742000 | ||
| Consumption | do. | 1220000 | r | 936000 | r | 1160000 | r | 1120000 | r | 1030000 | ||
| Imports | do. | 204000 | 219000 | 268000 | 240000 | 207000 | ||||||
| Exports | do. | 422000 | 474000 | 293000 | 403000 | 509000 | ||||||
| Value of trade: | ||||||||||||
| Imports | thousands | 2820000 | 2240000 | 3270000 | 5200000 | r | 4320000 | |||||
| Scrap imports | do. | 183000 | 197000 | 368000 | 387000 | 240000 | ||||||
| Exports | do. | 1990000 | 1570000 | 1910000 | 2440000 | r | 2550000 | |||||
| Scrap exports | do. | 345000 | 273000 | 334000 | 383000 | r | 458000 | |||||
| Net imports13, 18 | do. | 675000 | 596000 | 1390000 | 2760000 | r | 1560000 | |||||
See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 1—Continued
SALIENT CHROMIUM STATISTICS1
rRevised. do. Ditto. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
1Table includes data available through August 22, 2024. Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except for average grade; may not add to totals shown.
2Calculated assuming chromium content of stainless steel and stainless-steel scrap to average 17% chromium.
3Excludes pigments and preparations.
4Includes consumer stocks of chromium ferroalloys and metal and other chromium-containing materials.
5Calculated based on the chromium content of imported chromite ore, typically between 46% and 63% chromium oxide (Cr2O3).
6Apparent consumption calculated as total U.S. supply minus total U.S. distribution.
7Chromium ferroalloys, chromite ore used in foundry sand, and other chromium-containing materials excluding chromium metal.
8Consumer stocks of high- and low-carbon ferrochromium.
9Includes chromium-aluminum alloy, ferrosilicon chromium, and other chromium materials.
10Time-weighted average price of South African chromite ore that contains 42% to 44% Cr2O3 free on board (f.o.b.) as reported by Argus Media, Argus Non-Ferrous Markets.
11Time-weighted average U.S. price of imported high-carbon chromium that contains 62% to 70% chromium as reported by Argus Media, Argus Non-Ferrous Markets.
12Time-weighted average U.S. price of imported aluminothermic chromium metal as reported by Argus Media, Argus Non-Ferrous Markets.
13Defined as imports minus exports.
14Production estimated from International Stainless Steel Forum. Chromium content estimated at 17%.
15Source: American Iron and Steel Institute annual report of stainless-steel and heat-resisting raw steel production.
16Estimated mass-weighted average of the mean chromium content of stainless-steel production by grade.
17Ratio of estimated mass-weighted average chromium content of stainless-steel production by grade to production. Uncertainty is approximately ±0.01, owing to the range of chromium chemical specification limits by stainless-steel grade.
18Includes stainless steel and stainless-steel scrap.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Chromium statistics | Mineral commodity prices