Chromium, the lustrous transition metal that derives its name from the Greek word “chroma” meaning color, stands as one of the most versatile and industrially significant elements in the periodic table. From its discovery in the late 18th century to its pivotal role in modern technology, chromium has transformed industries, enhanced materials, and added vibrant colors to our world. This remarkable element, with atomic number 24, has proven indispensable in applications ranging from the corrosion-resistant surfaces of stainless steel to the brilliant hues of precious gemstones. The story of chromium is not merely a tale of scientific discovery but a chronicle of human innovation, industrial revolution, and the continuous quest to harness nature’s elements for the betterment of society.

Be sure to check out all other critical raw materials (CRMs), as well.

A History Of Chromium

The history of chromium spans over 260 years, beginning with its initial discovery as a colorful mineral in Siberian mines and evolving into one of the most crucial elements in modern metallurgy and industry. From the vibrant pigments that adorned 19th-century paintings to the gleaming chrome bumpers of classic automobiles and the corrosion-resistant alloys that define contemporary architecture, chromium’s journey reflects humanity’s growing understanding of chemistry and materials science. This timeline chronicles the major milestones in chromium’s discovery, development, and application across diverse fields.

Chronology

• 1761 – Johann Gottlob Lehmann discovered crocoite (lead chromate, PbCrO4) in the Beryozovskoye mines in the Ural Mountains on July 26, which he named Siberian red lead, though he misidentified it as a lead compound with selenium and iron components, not recognizing it contained chromium. [1]
• 1770 – Peter Simon Pallas visited the same Beryozovskoye site as Lehmann and found the red lead mineral (crocoite containing chromium), discovering it possessed useful properties as a pigment in paints. [2]
• 1794 – Louis Nicolas Vauquelin received samples of crocoite ore (containing chromium) and began his investigations into its composition. [3]
• 1797 – Vauquelin successfully isolated chromium metal by producing chromium trioxide (CrO3) by mixing crocoite with hydrochloric acid, discovering the new element and detecting traces of chromium in precious gemstones including ruby and emerald. [3, 4, 5]
• 1798 – Vauquelin isolated metallic chromium by heating chromium oxide in a charcoal oven, achieving the first pure isolation of the element. [6]
• 1809 – Vauquelin published his method for preparing chrome yellow (lead chromate) pigment in Annales de Chimie, describing how it could be prepared in different hues depending on precipitation conditions. [7]
• 1810 – Thomas Lawrence used chrome yellow (lead chromate pigment) in his painting “Portrait of a Gentleman,” one of the earliest known uses of the chromium-based synthetic pigment in art. [8]
• 1816 – Chrome yellow pigments (containing chromium) were in commercial use, though on a limited basis. [9]
• 1818 – The first recorded use of “chrome yellow” as a color name in English. [10]
• 1820 – Potassium dichromate was first used as a tanning mordant and Koechlin introduced chrome yellow in calico printing. [11]
• 1821 – Pierre Berthier and Michael Faraday discovered chromium’s alloying properties and produced the first chrome-alloyed steel, noting iron-chromium alloys’ resistance to acid attack. [12, 13]
• 1827 – A larger chromite deposit was discovered near Baltimore, United States, making the U.S. the largest producer of chromium products. [3]
• 1848 – Larger deposits of chromite were discovered near Bursa, Turkey, ending U.S. dominance in chromium production. [14]
• 1858 – Chrome tanning of leather was invented by German technologist Friedrich Knapp and Swedish scientist Hylten Cavalin. [15]
• 1861 – Robert Forester Mushet took out a patent on chromium steel in Britain. [12]
• 1865 – The first patent for the use of chromium in steel was granted. [11]
• 1872 – Woods and Clark filed for a patent of an acid and weather resistant alloy containing 30-35% chromium and 2% tungsten. [16]
• 1875 – Brustlein detailed the importance of low carbon content (below 0.15%) as a key factor in creating high-chromium alloys. [16]
• 1879 – First recorded use of chromium in refractory applications. [11]
• 1893 – Henri Moissan produced ferrochrome by smelting chromium ore and carbon in an electric furnace, establishing the basis for modern commercial ferrochrome production, and chromium was first used in armor plating in Germany. [17]
• 1895 – Hans Goldschmidt developed the aluminothermic reduction process, producing carbon-free chromium and making stainless steel development possible. [18]
• 1897 – America produced its first commercial high-carbon ferrochrome. [19]
• 1898 – Goldschmidt produced pure chromium by the aluminothermic reduction of chromium oxide. [17]
• 1904 – Leon Guillet conducted extensive research on iron-chromium alloys, developing compositions for what are now known as 410, 420, 442, 446 and 440-C stainless steels. [16]
• 1906 – Chrome ore was found in Brazil and Cuba, and the first industrial production of ferrochrome began in USA by UCAR; Guillet analyzed iron-nickel-chrome alloys providing the basis for 300 series stainless steel. [20]
• 1907 – The silicothermic process for producing low-carbon ferrochromium was developed. [17]
• 1911 – Monnartz and Borchers found evidence of the relationship between minimum chromium content (10.5%) and corrosion resistance in steel. [18]
• 1912 – Harry Brearley traveled to the Royal Small Arms Factory to study rifle barrel erosion and began experimenting with chromium steels. [21]
• 1913 – Harry Brearley created the first true stainless steel with 12.8% chromium and 0.24% carbon on August 13 (first cast) and August 20 (successful cast number 1008) at Firth’s in Sheffield, England. [22, 23]
• 1920 – George J. Sargent published his paper on chromium deposition, describing the critical ratio of sulfuric acid to chromic acid needed for successful chromium plating. [24]
• 1924 – Colin Fink and Charles Eldridge at Columbia University developed a commercial chromium electroplating process, forming the Chemical Treatment Company; H. Breasted developed 18/8 stainless steel. [25, 18]
• 1926 – Fink was awarded patent 1,606,159 for the chromium plating process; the Chemical Treatment Company and Chromium Products Corporation merged to form Chromium Corporation of America. [26]
• 1927 – Oldsmobile became the first automaker to switch from nickel plating to chromium plating for decorative parts; General Chromium Corporation established with Philip P. Hale as plant superintendent. [26, 24]
• 1930s – Chrome plating became widespread in Art Deco design for decorative objects, furniture, and automotive trim; Marvin J. Udy discovered that applying 4.2 volts helped the chrome plating process. [27]
• 1935 – Chromated copper arsenate was first used as a preservative in timber treatment. [11]
• 1937 – Discovery of chromite deposits in Albania and the Philippines. [11]
• 1939 – Chrome yellow (lead chromate) was adopted as the standard color for U.S. school buses for high visibility. [7]
• 1942 – First production of high-carbon and medium/low-carbon ferrochrome in South Africa. [28]
• 1943 – First ferrochrome production site established in the USSR (Kazakhstan). [11]
• 1949 – H. Erasmus obtained a patent for production of 0.01% low carbon ferrochrome by vacuum solid state decarburization, creating the Simplex (Simplicex) process. [19]
• 1950 – The notion of chromium as a potential regulator of glucose metabolism began when scientists performed experiments controlling the diet of rats and witnessed glucose metabolism problems with chromium deficiency. [2]
• 1955 – General Motors began using new acrylic paints on cars requiring baking, which affected chrome trim applications; T. Yoshida received U.S. Patent 2,704,273 for chromium plating improvements. [29, 24]
• 1956 – T. Yoshida received U.S. Patent 2,766,196 for additional chromium plating developments. [24]
• 1957 – Chromium was identified as an essential trace element for animal nutrition. [30]
• 1960 – First use of chromite (chromium ore) as a specialist foundry sand in South Africa; Ford Motor Company started using acrylic stoving enamels that complemented chrome finishes. [11, 29]
• 1968 – United States Patent 3,370,971 issued on February 27 for silicate-encapsulated lead chromate pigments to increase lightfastness and chemical resistance. [7]
• 1969 – Bharucha and Ward published information on a trivalent chromium plating process using dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvent, achieving 40-50% efficiency. [24]
• 1966 – Soviet Union became the most important ferrochrome producer globally. [11]
• 1972 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began regulating industrial chromium discharges through the Water Pollution Control Act. [31]
• 1976 – The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) enacted in the United States to govern hazardous waste including chromium compounds from initial generation to final disposition. [32]
• 1980 – The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) enacted to assist cleanup of abandoned hazardous waste sites containing chromium. [32]
• 1983 – First DC plasma arc furnace for ferrochrome production installed in South Africa. [11]
• 1987 – The Montreal Protocol adopted by more than 100 countries, affecting industrial processes including chromium plating emissions and chromium-containing refrigerants. [33]
• 1991 – The U.S. EPA established the current Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total chromium in drinking water at 0.1 mg/L. [34]
• 1999 – South Africa became the world’s most important producer of charge chrome. [11]
• 2006 – OSHA reduced the permissible exposure limit for hexavalent chromium from 52 µg/m³ to 5 µg/m³ in workplace air. [35]
• 2007 – European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) addressed hexavalent chromium use in automotive industry. [36]
• 2008 – The U.S. National Toxicology Program study found significant increase in stomach and intestinal tumors in animals consuming chromium-6 in drinking water. [37]
• 2010 – Record levels of ferrochrome and stainless steel production reached globally; China became the world’s most important producer of ferrochrome. [11]
• 2011 – California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment set a public health goal for chromium-6 in tap water of 0.02 parts per billion. [37]
• 2012 – U.S. Army Research Laboratory began research on chromium-free wash primer replacements as part of DoD’s effort to eliminate toxic wash primers. [38]
• 2013 – California required to issue a maximum contaminant level for hexavalent chromium in drinking water following NRDC lawsuit; EPA began nationwide chromium-6 testing in water systems. [38]
• 2014 – European Union reviewed chromium VI safety in toys through Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks assessment. [39]
• 2015 – California scientists reported increased risk of stomach cancer in workers exposed to chromium-6; EPA required completion of nationwide chromium-6 water testing. [37]
• 2016 – EU proposed lowering chromium VI limit in toys from 0.2 mg/kg to 0.053 mg/kg based on new toxicological data. [40]
• 2017 – California court ruled that chromium-6 drinking water standard must be eliminated pending economic feasibility analysis. [38]
• 2018 – EU Commission Directive 2018/725 amended toy safety regulations for chromium VI, implementing stricter limits. [40]
• 2019 – Major research published on chromium contamination remediation using nano-technology and sustainable approaches. [41]
• 2020 – COVID-19 pandemic affected global chromium ore mining and ferrochrome production and supply chains. [42]
• 2021 – Research published confirming chromium(III) can no longer be considered essential for animals or humans, though may be pharmacologically active. [30]
• 2022 – Environmental Working Group updated database revealing over 8,600 U.S. water utilities detected chromium-6 in tap water. [37]
• 2023 – EU chrome plating regulations tightened with proposed ban on decorative hexavalent chromium plating by 2024. [43]
• 2024 – California implemented new hexavalent chromium MCL of 0.010 mg/L effective October 1. [44]
• 2025 – Global chromium market projected to grow at 3% annually driven by stainless steel demand and new applications in 3D printing and energy storage. [45]

Final Thoughts

The journey of chromium from an obscure orange mineral in Siberian mines to an indispensable element in modern civilization exemplifies the transformative power of scientific discovery and technological innovation. Today, chromium touches nearly every aspect of our lives, from the stainless steel in our kitchens to the high-performance alloys in aerospace applications. Its unique properties—the ability to impart corrosion resistance, create brilliant colors, and form extremely hard surfaces—have made it irreplaceable in numerous industries.

As we face new challenges in sustainability and environmental protection, the chromium industry continues to evolve, developing cleaner production methods and safer applications while maintaining the exceptional properties that have made this element so valuable. The history of chromium reminds us that the elements we take for granted today were once mysteries waiting to be unlocked, and that continued research and responsible innovation will shape how we use these gifts of nature in the future.

References

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[2] Chromium – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromium

[3] WebElements Periodic Table » Chromium » historical information – https://www.webelements.com/chromium/history.html

[4] Chromium Element Facts – https://www.chemicool.com/elements/chromium.html

[5] It’s Elemental – The Element Chromium – https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele024.html

[6] How was Chromium discovered? | Metal History – SAM Sputter Targets – http://www.sputtering-targets.net/blog/how-was-chromium-discovered-metal-history/

[7] Chrome Yellow: A Primary Color with a Brief History – https://www.naturalpigments.com/artist-materials/chrome-yellow-paint

[8] Shop Natural Pigments – Chrome Yellow Medium | Rublev Colours Chrome Yellow Medium Dry Pigment – https://www.naturalpigments.com/chrome-yellow-medium-pigment.html

[9] Pigments through the Ages – Overview – Chrome yellow – https://www.webexhibits.org/pigments/indiv/overview/cryellow.html

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[14] Chromium (Cr) – The discovery of chromium, its origins and wide-ranging industrial and aesthetic applications | Double Stone Steel – https://www.doublestonesteel.com/blog/metal-blog/the-origins-and-applications-of-chromium/

[15] Chrome tanned – www.leather-dictionary.com – The Leather Dictionary – https://www.leather-dictionary.com/index.php/Chrome_tanned

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[21] The Father of Modern Metal – Nautilus – https://nautil.us/the-father-of-modern-metal-235939/

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[25] Columbia – https://seas150.columbia.edu/history/view/colin-finks-chromium-plating

[26] Theres No Plate Like Chrome | ArtDeco.org – https://www.artdeco.org/plate-like-chrome

[27] The History Of Spray Chrome – PChrome – https://pchrome.com/faq/history-spray-chrome/

[28] An Overview of Currently Applied Ferrochrome Production Processes – https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/6/809

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[39] SCHER – Final opinion on the safety of Chromium VI in toys – European Commission – https://health.ec.europa.eu/latest-updates/scher-final-opinion-safety-chromium-vi-toys-2015-02-10_en

[40] Commission Directive (EU) 2018/725 – https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2018/725

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[43] Proposed EU chrome-plating ban – Magneto – https://www.magnetomagazine.com/proposed-eu-chrome-plating-ban-isnt-what-it-seems/

[44] Hexavalent Chromium MCL | California State Water Resources Control Board – https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/SWRCBDDW-21-003_hexavalent_chromium.html

[45] 2025 Chromium Market Outlook Report – https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/4834513/2025-chromium-market-outlook-report-industry