Category II · Industrial & base metals
Chrome.
Essential to stainless-steel production. South Africa holds 70% of global chrome reserves.
Benchmark
Charge chrome 52% FOB SA
Unit
US$ / lb
Current price · 3-mo forward avg
US$ 1.32 / lb
Apr — Jul 2026 (forward 3-mo avg)
Essential to stainless-steel production. South Africa holds 70% of global chrome reserves.
Price · Charge chrome 52% FOB SA
2016 — 2035
Solid line: historical annual averages. Dashed line: forward projections (consensus).
Top 5 producing countries
- 01
South Africa
44%
Bushveld Complex hosts the world's largest reserves
- 02
Kazakhstan
16%
Kazchrome — large integrated producer
- 03
Turkey
10%
Mediterranean chromite belt
- 04
India
8%
Odisha state — Sukinda valley
- 05
Finland
7%
Kemi mine (Outokumpu) — only EU producer
Leading companies
- 01
Glencore-Merafe
World's largest ferrochrome producer
- 02
Samancor Chrome
Major SA producer
- 03
Tharisa
SA Bushveld co-producer (chrome + PGMs)
- 04
Kazchrome (ERG)
Kazakh integrated chrome-to-ferrochrome
- 05
Outokumpu
European stainless steel + chromite integrated
Of note
- §
South Africa holds 70% of global chrome reserves and produces 44% of global chromite ore.
- §
~90% of chrome demand is stainless steel (304 series: 18% Cr).
- §
SA exports both raw ore (mostly to China) and value-added ferrochrome — a strategic-export tension in policy debate.
Sources
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 · International Chromium Development Association. Curated quarterly. Forward projections are consensus indications and are not a guarantee of future prices.