Chemicals' Oguni works planned to
close its ferrochromiumsilicon furnace,
electing  to  use  imported   ferro-
chromiumsilicon instead for its low-
carbon ferrochromium. Nippon Steel, a
stainless steel producer, studied the
possibility of a joint-venture agreement
with Anglo American (South African
chromite ore and ferrochromium
producer). Nippon Denko is a coowner
of Integrated Charge Chrome
(Philippines).
Nippon Steel Corp. planned a joint
venture with Consolidated Metallurgical
Industries (South Africa) to develop a
chromite ore mine in South Africa. (See
South Africa in this section.)
Ka zak h stan . - National
Developments.-Chromium-related
activity centered around reorganization of
the industry as a result of national
economic and political reorganization.
The Kazakhstan chromium industry
moved from state control of the chromite
ore mining and two ferrochromium plants
in 1990 to semi-independent operations in
1991. As a result of that change and the
subsequent entrance of Kazakhstani
chromium producers into the world
market, Kazakhstan is developing its new
organization and the role it will play
relative to its old and new trading
partners.  Kazakhstani ferrochromium
producers have been assessed import
duties for dumping in Brazil, Europe, and
the United States. The necessity for the
Kazakhstani chromium industry to
respond to foreign litigation resulted in
the formation of the International Chrome
Committee of Kazakhstan. Internally, the
Kazakhstan chromium industry and
politicians debated the export of chromite
ore, especially to China and Russia, two
countries that compete with Kazakhstani
ferrochromium, a downstream chromium
industrial product. There was reported
disparity between Kazakhstan and Russia
in chromite ore pricing with domestic
ferrochromium producers getting the
lowest prices.  Russian chromite ore
consumers reportedly built up large debts.
The situation is complicated by the fact
that  Kazakhstani   ferrochromium
producers are dependent on Russian


electrical power. The Kazakhstani and
Russian chromium industry companies
briefly organized under the name
Kazrochrom.  Efforts to organize the
Kazakhstani chromium industry were
started by the industry itself and by the
Government. No solution to issues of
pricing, payment schedules, competitive
products, and reinvestment have evolved
yet. The Government instituted an export
tax on ferrochromium only to withdraw it
later in the year.  The Government
organized the chromium industry into
holding companies with Donskoy and
Aktubinsk in one company (Kramds) and
Yermakovsky   in  another.     The
Government planned to develop a
vertically integrated chromium industry
from chromite ore mining through
ferrochromium production to stainless
steel production through Kramds.
Chromite Ore.-Donskoy Ore
Dressing Complex mines and beneficiates
chromite ore, annually producing about
3.5 million tons and exporting about one-
third of production.   Mining was
primarily from the 40th Anniversary of
Kazakhstan Soviet Socialist Republic open
pit and the Molodioihnaya underground
mines with capacities of 1.8 million tons
(ore grade of 47% to 49% Cr203) and 2
million tons (ore grade of about 44.9%
Cr203), respectively. The Tsentralnaya
Mine was under development.    The
Tsentralnaya Mine was planned to come
into production in the year 2000
whereupon annual production capacity
would increase to 4 million tons. Run-of-
mine chromite ore was processed in one
of two chromite ore beneficiation plants
operated at the mine site. To upgrade
marketable product, the Donskoy was
constructing a briquetting plant of
200,000-ton-per-year  capacity  for
commissioning in 1994 and a pelletizing
plant of 700,000-ton-per-year capacity for
commissioning in 1995.8
Ferrochromium. -Aktubinsk
Ferroalloy Plant put in pollution control
equipment to control effluent discharged
into the Ilek River. Aktubinsk produced
about 120,000 tons of ferrochromium in
1992 from an annual ferrochromium


production  capacity  of 300,000  to
340,000 tons. Aktubinsk, in cooperation
with Donskoy Mining Complex, planned
to build a 125-megawatt electrical
powerplant fueled by Kazakhstani natural
gas at a cost of about $88 million.
Yermakovsky Ferroalloy Plant planned
to convert six furnaces to ferrochromium
production. Yermakovsky was building
a briquetting plant with an annual
capacity of 200,000 tons to improve
production.  It also planned a slag
beneficiation program with the capacity to
process 600,000 tons per year of slag and
to put in a baghouse for dust collection.
Korea, Republic of.-Korea
implemented a tariff change on
ferrochromium imports. Under the new
system, the tariff on the first 50,000 tons
of ferrochromium is 2.5 % ad valorem;
after 50,000 tons, 5 % ad valorem. Korea
planned to increase its stainless steel
production capacity to about 120,000 tons
by 1996. Korea reported consumption of
more than 110,000 tons of ferrochromium
in 1992.
Madagascar.-Kraomita    Malagasy
operated mined chromite ore. It reported
that in 1992 chromite ore production was
157,000 tons, export was 109,000 tons,
and in 1993 production was 145,000 tons,
and export was 119,000 tons.  Thus
despite significanttyphoon-caused damage
to rail and road systems, Kraomita
increased its production and shipments.
Mexico.-Cia. Minera Autlan SA de
CV was privatized when it was sold to
Grupo Ferrominero, a consortium of
Mexican companies, for $23 million.
Autlan has produced ferrochromium but
is not currently doing so.   Autlan
operates two plants, one at Tamos and
one at Teziutlant.  Quimica Central
reportedly suspended sodium bichromate
production.
Oman. -Oman reported 2 million tons
of chromite ore reserves distributed over
more than 450 sites.    The Oman
Chromite Co. operated southwest of
Sohar in the area of Far Far and Simera.


CHROMIUM-1993




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