Ferrochrome is an alloy that combines chromium with iron, with small amounts of carbon and other metals added in to make it even stronger and more malleable. Ferrochrome can be found in a number of different industries, from aerospace to automotive to those that need tools made out of the strongest materials possible. It’s not surprising, then, that ferrochrome is crucial in the creation of one of the most malleable products ever created: stainless steel.
Since the commercialization of the argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) process, it also became possible to produce ferrochrome from lower-grade chromite ores, which are available in countries such as South Africa, India, and Finland. These ores typically have Cr/Fe ratios of 1.5 to 1.6 and result in ferrochrome with a chromium content of 50% to 55% (and recently even below 50%) and carbon content typically between 6% and 8%. Ferrochrome produced from these ores is generally referred to as charge chrome and is often included in the broad category of high carbon ferrochrome.
Ferrochrome contains chromium as a major alloying element. The chromium is introduced as a constituent into a large number of steels. It makes the steel self-hardening and increases its hardenability and hardness. With low carbon content, high chromium steels (Cr >12%) are corrosion resistant. With high carbon content, chromium raises the abrasion and wear resistance. Chromium also increases the strength at high temperature. Due to these useful contributions ferrochrome finds wide application in steel industries.
Uses and Application
Ferrochrome is an alloy of chromium and iron, containing between 50% and 70% chromium. The production of steel is the largest application for ferrochrome, with the alloy being added to produce a variety of special steels. Ferrochrome also has a wide range of uses in the production of non-ferrous alloys.
With the advent of AOD and VOD technologies, the use of high carbon ferrochrome, for introducing chromium into steel with much improved process economics, was established. However, with the worldwide standardization of these technologies, not only the use of high carbon ferrochrome was established; it was also established that lower grades, with even less than 50% chromium content, can be efficiently used in the production of stainless steels and other special alloy steels. This resulted in the arrival of charge chrome as the most economical and established route of chromium addition to steels. Because the charge chrome production technology permits the use of lower-grade chromite ore, charge chrome was accepted as a suitable alloy for stainless steel production, in response to the depleting resources of high Cr/Fe ratio lumpy chromite ore.
High carbon ferrochrome is primarily used in the production of stainless steel. More than 90% of high carbon ferrochrome is used in the production of stainless steel (International Chromium Development Association [ICDA], 2011). The majority of the balance is used in the manufacturing of special steels (including high chromium steels).
Indian Market
Ferrochrome market is expected to reach at an estimated value of USD 24.45 billion and grow at a rate of 4.70% for the period of 2020 to 2027. Rising production of stainless steel is a vital factor driving the growth of ferrochrome market swiftly.
The Indian market for ferrochrome is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. This is due to the increasing demand for stainless steel in the country. Additionally, India's relatively low production costs and abundance of raw materials make it an attractive destination for ferrochrome manufacturers. As a result, we can expect to see more investment in the Indian ferrochrome industry in the near future.
Rising demand for stainless steel from the construction, transportation, and metallurgical industries is the vital factor escalating the market growth, also rising growth in industrialization in emerging economies and rising population are the major factors among others driving the coating additives market. Moreover, rising manufacturing activities and increasing foreign investments will further create new opportunities for the ferrochrome market in the period of 2020- 2027.
Industry Major Market Players:
1. Merafe resources limited
2. Ferro alloys corporation limited
3. Hernic ferrochrome (pty) ltd
4. Shanxi jiang county minmetal co., ltd.
5. Samancor chrome limited
6. Eurasian resources group
7. International Ferro metals ltd.
8. Tata steel
9. Imfa
10. Mintal group
