Chromium Mining
CHROMIUM :
Chromium is a chemical element with the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in group 6. It is a steely-grey, lustrous, hard and brittle transition metal. Chromium is a hard metal which is used in many industries. It is primarily used to produce stainless steel and other alloys.
Chromium is also used in the production of paints, dyes, inks and chemicals. Chromium is typically mined from chromite ore. Chromite ore is mostly found in the form of sand-like particles and can be mined using conventional surface and underground mining methods. Chromite ore is usually mined using open-pit mining, which involves digging a large pit in the ground and extracting the ore from it. The ore is then processed and separated into different forms of chromite.
Chromium mining can be dangerous, as it often involves working in hazardous conditions and using hazardous materials. Chromium mining also has a significant environmental impact, as it can lead to the contamination of water sources and nearby land due to the presence of hazardous chemicals. As a result, it is important that chromium mining operations are properly regulated and monitored to ensure that they are conducted in a safe and efficient manner.
Resources:
Chromium mining involves extracting chromium from underground mines. Chromium is a naturally-occurring element found in rocks, animals, plants, soil, and in volcanic dust and gases. Chromium is mined in two different ways: underground mining and surface mining.
Underground mining is used to reach deeper deposits. It involves digging a tunnel into the Earth, then blasting and excavating the ore. This method is often used when chromium deposits are too deep to reach through surface mining.
Surface mining is used when the chromium ore deposits are closer to the surface. It involves stripping away the surface layers to reach the ore. This method is often used in open pit mining and dredging.
The chromium ore is then processed in various ways to remove impurities and separate the chromium from other elements. The extracted chromium is used in a variety of products, including stainless steel, catalysts, pigments, and dyes.
Chromium mining can have a detrimental effect on the environment. It can cause significant air and water pollution, as well as disruption to local ecosystems. Mining activities can also release chromium dust into the air, which can be harmful to human health. Therefore, it is important to ensure that chromium mining is conducted responsibly and with the utmost care for the environment.
Uses:
Chromium is a chemical element with the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in group 6. It is a steely-grey, lustrous, hard and brittle transition metal.
Chromium is mined from deposits of chromite ore, which is found in large, layered ultramafic intrusive rocks. Chromite ore is mined by both underground and surface methods, depending on the local geology of the deposit. Underground mining methods are used when the depth of the chromite deposit is too great for surface mining methods.
Chromium mining is important for the production of chromium metal, which is used in various industrial applications such as stainless steel, chrome plating, and corrosion-resistant alloys. Chromium is also used in the production of dyes, pigments, and catalyst for the chemical industry. Chromite ore is also used for the production of ferrochrome, which is a key component in the production of stainless steel. Chromium mining is also important for the production of refractory materials, which are used in the manufacture of high-temperature equipment such as furnaces and kilns. Chromium is also used in the production of catalysts for the petrochemical industry.
Chromium production:
Chromite is mined in over 20 countries for various purposes. However, the majority of production is given only by the four countries for the production of steel. The rise of usage of the chromium demands to produce 570 million metric tons as of 2019. Let us see some of the top four countries that produce chromium.
1. South Africa:
South Africa is the largest producer that beats all the other countries in a wide margin. It produced about 17million tons of chromium in 2019. It exceeds every year as the demand increases. According to the US geological survey, the production may increase up to 630,000 tonnes per year if there is no electric constraint in that country. Dwarsrivier mine is the largest mine in the North east of South Africa having the estimated reserves of 55 million tonnes of ore containing 21 tonnes of chromium metal. Thaba mine located in South Africa has chromite reserves that amount to 23.6 million tonnes of ore grading 43.6% chromium metal. The Thaba mine uses open pit mining to remove the chromite ore from the earth. These mines constitute the major production of the chromium.
2. Turkey
EtiKrom is the world's biggest hard lumpy marketable chrome ore producer that can extract chrome throughout the year. Yildirim Group is also a major mines in Turkey that acquired EtiKrom in 2004. It is the only high-carbon ferrochrome producer in Turkey. Turkey produces 10 million tonnes of chromium in the year 2019.
3. Kazakhstan
Vokshod mine and plant owned by the Yildirim Group is the one of the major chromium mining industries in that country to produce 6.7 million tonnes of chromium. Eursian Natural Resources comprises the huge chromium space which includes Kazchrome in the ferroalloys division. The Donskoy ore mining and processing plant, Aktobe ferroalloys plant, the Aksu ferroalloys plant and the Kazmarganets mining enterprise are the four mining sites to contribute the majority of the chromium ore.
4. India
India's chromium production came in 4.1 million tonnes in 2019. The US Geological Survey stated that chromium ferroalloys are produced in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal. Tata steel is the one of the chromium marketers that has different ferroalloys and minerals divisions.
Mining:
The chromium mining market is benefitted by increasing investments, rapid industrialization and developing countries. As it is mainly used in steel and metal companies, mining chromium gained more interest. Some of the main players in the chromium mining market are Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., CVK Group Company, KWG resources Inc., DEV mining Company, Merafe Resources Ltd, Anglo Platinum Ltd, African Rainbow Minerals Ltd and others.
The mining method used for removing the ore from the earth surface depends on the characteristics of the ore. It includes whether it is stratiform, podiform, high or low grade, and the depth of the ore. Most of the chromium ore present abundantly occurs as stratiform deposits in layered intrusions such as South Africa, Canada, Finland and Madagascar. However, countries like Kazakhstan, Turkey and Albania have the source of chromite in podiform deposits. Zimbabwe is the only country to have both stratiform and podiform deposits. Economicfactors like transportation and massive or disseminated type of ore are also considered before mining chromium. The deposits of the chromite are generally removed by surface and underground mining techniques. The podiform deposits are generally mined by surface mining technique while the underground mining is employed to stratiform deposits.
Open pit mining:
The layers covering the ore of the chromium are first removed to reach the ore. The process includes forming the open pit, by removing the overburden rocks and the surface materials. Many hand tools are used to remove the chromite from the soil. When the rocks are hard, the rock containing chromite ores are blasted with explosives to reach the ore. Then it is drilled and removed and loaded into large trucks for carrying to the crusher and other processing facilities.
Underground mining:
Underground mining of the chromium ore is employed when the ore of the chromium is present in the greater depths. The ore in the underground is either accessed through open pit mining or it is carried through different techniques like shaft, tunnel or room and pillar method. Other techniques to extract the ore of the chromium are blastholestoping method. When the surrounding rock of the chromite is hard for the removal process, this method is carried to break the rocks. Ferrochromium is the rich and lumpy ore that contains the high percentage of Cr2O3, which are mined and directly used for the production. The finely divided ore are then extracted and many processes are employed for further use in the furnaces. The refined ore is then blended with coke and flux before sending into the electric furnace.
The chromite ore which is present in the underground when exposed to above ground conditions may lead to health risks such as inhalation potential and leaching of toxins into the environment. So several processes are undergone to minimize the effects.
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