CHROMIUM 
37.9 
359 
4a6 
42~ 
41.2 
 
Table 6—U.S. 
 
 
End usc 
consumption of chromium ferroalloys 
(Short tons, gross weight) 
 
Ferrochromium 
and metal in 
 
Ferr~ium 
1985, by end 
 
Other 
use 
 
Total 
 
Low-carbon High-carbon ferrochromium ferrochromium 
 
 
 
2,221 
939 
536 
4,236 
428 
416 
102 
2,075 
3,032 
5,708 
3,587 
646 
166 
24 
 W W 7~023 
 6,271 583 292~O2 
 1,685 83 34,429 
 W W 4,2% 
 250  4,221 
 W W 6,244 
 65 3,236 11,121 
 —— 74 1,148 
 W 2,012 2,591 
 11,462 1,183 l2,'~11 
 19,733 ~7,171 3Th,452 
 7,135 5,619 206,861 
 1,289 ~1,280 32,166 
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with "Miscellaneous
and unspecified." 
' Includes structural and hard-facing welding material. 
2lncludes magnetic and nonferrous alloys. 
3lncludes 4,341 tons of chromium metal. 
4lncludes 535 tons of chromium metal. 
 
 
 
STOCKS 
ferroalloys, metal, and other chromium material consumption decreased 6%
compared with that of 1984. 
 The primary use of chromium in the refractory industry was in the form of
chromite to make refractory bricks to line metallurgical furnaces. Chromite
consumption by the refractory industry decreased 33% compared with that of
1984. 
245 
 
 The chemical industry consumed thromite for manufacturing chromates, chrornic
acid, and pigments. Sodium and potassium chromate and bichromate are the
materials from which a wide range of chromium chemicals are made. Chromite
consumption by the chemical industry in 1985 increased 18% compared with
that of 1984. 
 
Table 5.—Consumption of chromite and tenor of ore used by primary
consumer
groups 
in the United States 
 Metallurgical Refractory Chemical Total 
 industry industry industry 
 Year Gross Average Gross Average Gross Average Gross Average 
  weight CraOa weight Cr203 weight Cr203 weight CraO3 
(short tons)  (percent)  (short tons)  (percent)  (short tons)  (percent)
 (short tons)  (percertt) 
 1981 — 503,051 35.7 147,853 37.3 238,465 42.6 889,369 
1982 — — 283,481 35.2 79,760 36.4 194,935 44.9 558,176

 1983 — 64,310 39.3 72,050 36.9 183,611 44.9 319,971 
1984 — — 225,727 43.5 97,469 37.4 188,960 44.8 512,156

1985 — — 272,885 38.5 65,245 38.1 222,291 45.3 560,421

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Steel: 
Carbon                   
 Stainless and heat-resisting - - 
 Full-alloy                 
High-strength, low-alloy and 
electric________________ 
Tool____________________ 
Castirons                   
Superalloys                  
Welding materials'             
Other alloys2                 
Miscellaneous and unspecified - - - -. 
 
 TotaL_______________ 
 Chromium content_______ Stocks, Dec.31_______________ 
 3,156 3,867 
 9,797 275,951 
 6,091 26,570 
 27,922 321,626 
 19,108 174,999 
 5,482 24,115 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Reported consumer stocks of chromite declined from 327,321 tons in 1984
to 300,187 tons in 1985. Metallurgical industry stocks increased, whereas
chemical and refractory industry stocks declined. Producer stocks of chromium
ferroalloys, metal, and other materials declined from 24,538 tons in 
 
1984 to 23,561 tons in 1985. Consumer stocks increased from 26,302 tons in
1984 to 32,166 tons in 1985. At the 1985 annual rate of chromium ferroalloy
and metal consumption, producer plus consumer stocks represented a 1.4-month
supply.