TABLE 2 | ||||||||||||
U.S. REPORTED CONSUMPTION AND STOCKS OF CHROMIUM PRODUCTS1 | ||||||||||||
(Metric tons) | ||||||||||||
2011 | 2012 | |||||||||||
Gross | Chromium | Gross | Chromium | Change2 | ||||||||
quantity | content | quantity | content | Quantity | Percent | |||||||
Consumption by end use: | ||||||||||||
Alloy uses: | ||||||||||||
Steel: | ||||||||||||
Carbon steel | 7,430 | r | 4,570 | r | 6,730 | 4,310 | -696 | -9 | ||||
High-strength low-alloy steel | 3,150 | r | 2,070 | r | 2,730 | 1,790 | -419 | -13 | ||||
Stainless and heat-resisting steel | 363,000 | r | 209,000 | r | 374,000 | 213,000 | 11,000 | 3 | ||||
Fully alloy steel | 21,300 | r | 12,800 | r | 16,900 | 10,100 | -4,400 | -21 | ||||
Unspecified steel3 | 23,500 | r | 13,800 | r | 23,600 | 13,900 | 122 | 1 | ||||
Superalloys | 10,400 | r | 7,700 | r | 12,600 | 9,450 | 2,280 | 22 | ||||
Other alloys and uses4 | 4,740 | r | 3,400 | r | 4,860 | 3,420 | 123 | 3 | ||||
Total | 433,000 | r | 253,000 | r | 441,000 | 256,000 | 8,050 | 2 | ||||
Consumption by material: | ||||||||||||
Low-carbon ferrochromium | 26,700 | r | 18,200 | r | 26,600 | 18,200 | -78 | (6) | ||||
High-carbon ferrochromium | 373,000 | r | 219,000 | r | 380,000 | 221,000 | 6,820 | 2 | ||||
Ferrochromium silicon | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | W | ||||||
Chromium metal | 4,490 | r | 4,490 | r | 4,940 | 4,940 | 452 | 10 | ||||
Chromium-aluminum alloy | 366 | r | 267 | r | 371 | 257 | 5 | 1 | ||||
Other chromium materials | 28,200 | r | 11,200 | r | 29,100 | 11,400 | 852 | 3 | ||||
Total | 433,000 | r | 253,000 | r | 441,000 | 256,000 | 8,050 | 2 | ||||
Consumer stocks: | ||||||||||||
Low-carbon ferrochromium | 1,900 | r | 1,300 | r | 1,770 | 1,210 | -133 | -7 | ||||
High-carbon ferrochromium | 10,100 | r | 5,930 | r | 10,100 | 5,870 | -38 | (6) | ||||
Ferrochromium silicon | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | ||||||
Chromium metal | 186 | r | 186 | r | 228 | 228 | 42 | 22 | ||||
Chromium-aluminum alloy | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) | ||||||
Other chromium materials | 820 | r | 361 | r | 863 | 366 | 43 | 5 | ||||
Total | 13,000 | r | 7,770 | r | 12,900 | 7,670 | -87 | -1 | ||||
National Defense Stockpile stocks:7, 8 | ||||||||||||
Chromium ferroalloys:9 | ||||||||||||
High-carbon ferrochromium | 95,200 | 68,000 | 94,300 | 67,300 | -902 | -1 | ||||||
Low-carbon ferrochromium | 54,300 | 38,800 | 49,400 | 35,200 | -4,990 | -9 | ||||||
Chromium metal10 | 4,230 | 4,230 | 4,090 | 4,090 | -136 | -3 | ||||||
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in -Total.- | ||||||||||||
1Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. | ||||||||||||
2Change based on gross quantity of unrounded data of current year compared with that of previous year. | ||||||||||||
3Includes electrical, tool, and unspecified steel end uses. | ||||||||||||
4Includes cast irons, welding and alloy hard-facing rods and materials, wear- and corrosion-resistant alloys, and aluminum, copper, magnetic, | ||||||||||||
nickel, and other alloys. | ||||||||||||
5Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in -Other chromium materials.- | ||||||||||||
6Less than - unit. | ||||||||||||
7The source for stockpile information is the Defense Logistics Agency, DLA Strategic Materials. | ||||||||||||
8The DLA data are based on the -Total Uncommitted Inventory- of stockpile material D-1 report. | ||||||||||||
9Chromium content estimated using 71.4% chromium. | ||||||||||||
10Chromium content estimated using 100% chromium. |
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Mineral commodity prices