The facts
What chromite (Foundry and Refractory) actually is
Chromite (Foundry and Refractory) is classified as an iron-chromium spinel oxide; the foundry and refractory grades exploit its high melting point, thermal conductivity and chemical resistance to basic slags, with the composition FeCr2O4, with Mg and Al substitution. It crystallises in the cubic system.
Colour comes from black, opaque, with a brown streak, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 2.08-2.16. Specific gravity around 4.50-4.80. Cleavage: none; uneven fracture. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where chromite (Foundry and Refractory) comes from
Chromite (Foundry and Refractory) is produced at Bushveld Complex, Rustenburg and Steelpoort, Limpopo and North West, South Africa - the overwhelming world source, Kempirsai, Aktobe, Kazakhstan, Sukinda, Odisha, India and Guleman, Turkiye; Zimbabwe (Great Dyke); Finland (Kemi).
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How chromite (Foundry and Refractory) is treated
Crushed and graded; refractory grades are checked for Cr2O3 content and silica limits. Uses in this context: foundry moulding sand for steel casting (it chills the casting and resists metal penetration), refractory bricks for glass tanks, copper smelters and cement kilns, and as a heavy aggregate. HEALTH: chromite itself is Cr(III) and relatively inert, but in oxidising high-temperature refractory service some Cr(III) converts to hexavalent Cr(VI), which is a Group 1 carcinogen - spent chrome refractory disposal is a regulated waste issue, and chrome-free refractories have been developed partly for that reason. The bulk of chromite production goes to ferrochrome for stainless steel, not to these uses.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What chromite (Foundry and Refractory) is confused with
In the trade chromite (Foundry and Refractory) is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Magnetite and ilmenite, Zircon and olivine foundry sands or Magnesia-chrome refractory brick.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 2.08-2.16 and specific gravity 4.50-4.80 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What chromite (Foundry and Refractory) is used for
Demand for chromite (Foundry and Refractory) comes from heavy industry and abrasives, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the tonne.
Durability and care
Hardness 5.5; cleavage none; uneven fracture. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What chromite (Foundry and Refractory) costs
As a guide, chromite (Foundry and Refractory) trades around $200-400 per tonne for foundry and chemical grades; metallurgical concentrate prices track the ferrochrome market.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is chromite (Foundry and Refractory) treated, and how?
Crushed and graded; refractory grades are checked for Cr2O3 content and silica limits. Uses in this context: foundry moulding sand for steel casting (it chills the casting and resists metal penetration), refractory bricks for glass tanks, copper smelters and cement kilns, and as a heavy aggregate. HEALTH: chromite itself is Cr(III) and relatively inert, but in oxidising high-temperature refractory service some Cr(III) converts to hexavalent Cr(VI), which is a Group 1 carcinogen - spent chrome refractory disposal is a regulated waste issue, and chrome-free refractories have been developed partly for that reason. The bulk of chromite production goes to ferrochrome for stainless steel, not to these uses.
Where does chromite (Foundry and Refractory) come from?
Bushveld Complex, Rustenburg and Steelpoort, Limpopo and North West, South Africa - the overwhelming world source, Kempirsai, Aktobe, Kazakhstan, Sukinda, Odisha, India and Guleman, Turkiye; Zimbabwe (Great Dyke); Finland (Kemi). Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is chromite (Foundry and Refractory) hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 5.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does chromite (Foundry and Refractory) cost?
Indicatively $200-400 per tonne for foundry and chemical grades; metallurgical concentrate prices track the ferrochrome market. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is chromite (Foundry and Refractory) confused with?
Most often Magnetite and ilmenite, Zircon and olivine foundry sands and Magnesia-chrome refractory brick. A refractive index of 2.08-2.16 and a specific gravity near 4.50-4.80 separate it quickly.
Related stones
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Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
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