Chromite
Also called: Sukinda chromite valley · Topic: Mineral Resources of India: Distribution and Conservation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 5 "Mineral and Energy Resources"
Meaning
Chromite is a ferrous mineral, which means a mineral used in making iron and steel. It is the only commercial ore of chromium. Chromium is used for stainless steel, for ferrochrome (an alloy of iron and chromium) and for refractories, which are heat-resistant linings for furnaces. Odisha holds almost all of India's chromite reserves.
Example
The Sukinda valley in Jajpur district, Odisha, holds most of India's chromite. Its open-cast mines (open pits dug from the surface) have polluted the water with toxic hexavalent chromium, a poisonous form of chromium. Sukinda has been listed among the world's most polluted places.
Don't confuse with
- Chromium: this is the metal. Chromite is the ore that chromium is taken out of.