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Chrome

Chrome is a hard, lustrous, steel-grey metallic element, more formally known as chromium, that is mined primarily for its use in stainless steel production and metallurgical applications. The metal is extracted from chromite ore, which is found in layered igneous intrusions such as South Africa's Bushveld Complex, the world's largest repository of chromite reserves. Chrome is valued for its corrosion resistance, hardness and high melting point, making it essential in the manufacture of stainless steel, which typically contains 10% to 30% chromium. Beyond stainless steel, chrome is used in superalloys, chrome plating, refractory materials and chemical applications including pigments and tanning agents. South Africa is the dominant global producer of chrome, accounting for about three-quarters of world output, with significant production also occurring in Kazakhstan, India and Turkey. The chrome market is closely linked to stainless steel demand, particularly from China, which consumes the majority of global ferrochrome and chromite exports. Chrome is often mined as a byproduct alongside platinum-group metals in the Bushveld Complex, where the same geological formations host both chromitite layers and PGM-bearing reefs. Prices for chrome and ferrochrome are sensitive to energy costs, as smelting chromite into ferrochrome is electricity-intensive. The industry faces ongoing challenges related to power supply, environmental regulation and market volatility tied to global steel production cycles.

Chrome News


Sibanye-Stillwater VP Chrome and Base Metals Babsie Crane.
Expansion plans pointing to 75% increase in Sibanye-Stillwater’s chrome volumes
31st July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

Chrome is a growing value contributor to the revenue base of Sibanye-Stillwater’s South Africa platinum group metals (PGM) portfolio, delivering margins, resilience and project support. Chrome has... 


An image of Glencore copper
Glencore reports strong first-half copper production
29th July 2026 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

Diversified miner Glencore reported a strong production performance for the first six months of this year, with its key assets largely performing in line with expectations and previously... 


Merafe reports lower output but guides for higher interim earnings
Merafe reports lower output but guides for higher interim earnings
27th July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

JSE-listed Merafe Resources has reported that its share of ferrochrome production from the Glencore Merafe Chrome Venture, in South Africa, amounted to 28 000 t for the six months ended June 30 – a... 


Valterra Platinum CEO Craig Miller
Higher sales volumes, prices contribute to significant earnings increases for Valterra
17th July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Platinum group metals (PGMs) miner Valterra Platinum expects its headline earnings and headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months ended June 30 to increase by more than 1 388%... 


Eland conveyor from one of the decline
Eland mine complex, South Africa – update
17th July 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

Eland’s ramp-up continued on schedule during the 2026 financial year. 


Image of South Africa flag and periodic table symbols platinum, palladium, ruthenium rhodium, iridium and gold
Tharisa PGMs underground project, South Africa – update
17th July 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

The project remains on time and in line with budget. 


An image of the chemical binder being used at a mining site
Binder helps with dust control, briquetting and beneficiation
17th July 2026 By: Trent Roebeck

Mineral ore fines can create environmental concerns, such as fugitive dust, which can result in air pollution and, potentially, water pollution, owing to hazardous leachate from large waste dumps.... 


Minerals Council South Africa economist André Lourens
South Africa's mine production weakens as commodity price support starts to fade – council
16th July 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Minerals Council South Africa economist André Lourens notes that the country's mining output contracted the first time in five months in May, which "proved particularly challenging on two fronts".... 


Sibanye-Stillwater VP Chrome and Base Metals Babsie Crane.
Expansion plans pointing to 75% increase in Sibanye-Stillwater’s chrome volumes
16th July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

Chrome is a growing value contributor to the revenue base of Sibanye-Stillwater’s South Africa platinum group metals (PGM) portfolio, delivering margins, resilience and project support. Chrome has... 


An image of the Eland operation
Northam reports solid full-year production, sales performance
14th July 2026 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

JSE-listed Northam Platinum reports that each of its operations delivered a solid performance for the financial year ended June 30, while project development continues apace. Key production metrics... 


Sibanye-Stillwater EVP Mining Operations Dawie van Aswegen.
R964m to be spent at Sibanye-Stillwater's K4 platinum group metals shaft
13th July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

Remaining project capital of R964-million of the total of R4.4-billion in real 2026 terms is to be spent this year and next on Sibanye-Stillwater’s K4 platinum group metals (PGMs) project at... 


A man underground wearing hard hat and light operating a hand drill
Mining boom drives African infrastructure growth
10th July 2026 By: Halima Frost

The increased interest in mining, to fulfil global minerals demand, has initiated the establishment of crucial logistics corridors as well as achieved a boost in investment in power projects in... 


Grindrod reports Maputo port volume rise, sees transport constraints easing
Grindrod reports Maputo port volume rise, sees transport constraints easing
10th July 2026 By: Lumkile Nkomfe

Logistics group Grindrod has highlighted that it expects an improvement in its overall performance in the second half of the year as weather-related disruptions ease and rail capacity recovers. CEO... 


Sibanye-Stillwater COO Richard Cox.
Sibanye-Stillwater’s mass of metal ‘probably one of planet’s biggest’
10th July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

This is an incredible endowment and we are executing a deliberate strategy to extract more value from every single square metre of our resource base, an ebullient Sibanye-Stillwater COO Richard Cox... 


Mintek Physical Separation Head Gertrude Marape
Mintek spells out value of PGM preconcentration plus chrome recovery
9th July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

Successful removal of coarse waste is beneficial in that it reduces power requirements in the milling circuit, lowers water needs, and increases platinum group metal (PGM) feed grades. With... 


Sibanye-Stillwater EVP Processing Lucas Msimanga.
First phase of Sibanye-Stillwater’s secondary mining thrust given thumbs up
8th July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

A lower-risk secondary mining business, which focuses on extracting value from platinum group metals (PGM) surface waste that hosts chrome, is being built by the South Africa PGM Operations of... 


Mining cost pressures accelerated in May as energy shock took hold
Mining cost pressures accelerated in May as energy shock took hold
3rd July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Minerals Council South Africa has reported that mining input cost pressures accelerated sharply in May, reflecting the transmission of higher global energy prices into the South African economy... 


a mini excavator
Automation, efficiency drive equipment demand
26th June 2026 By: Devina Haripersad

Productivity, automation, safety and sustainability initiatives are increasingly shaping investment decisions in South Africa’s earthmoving and surface mining equipment sector, says diesel engine... 


Langpan project area
Mantengu swings to loss, but board confident ‘one off’ items won’t reoccur
25th June 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Resource investment company Mantengu has posted a loss of R315-million for the financial year ended February 28 owing to a combination of factors; however, the board views these as one-off items... 


The first blast at the Tharisa mine
Tharisa secures new R750m asset revolving finance facility from Nedbank
25th June 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Johannesburg- and London-listed mining, metals and innovation company Tharisa has secured a new R750-million (about $45.5-million) asset revolving finance facility from financial services provider... 


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