Chromium

Chromium is a hard, silvery-gray transition metal that can be polished to a bright shine. It is a key ingredient in stainless steel, helping it resist rust and other corrosion. A thin layer of chromium oxide protects the metal beneath it. Chromium also gives chrome-plated objects their shiny, durable surface. In nature, it occurs mainly in compounds; its chief ore is chromite, mined in countries including South Africa and Kazakhstan. Industry smelts this ore to make ferrochromium, an iron-chromium alloy used in steelmaking. To obtain pure chromium, producers separate out the iron and then chemically remove oxygen from chromium oxide. Its name comes from the Greek word for color, reflecting the vivid colors of many chromium compounds.