UpGraded Chromite (UGC) Production

(Source company profile)

Background

Pro-Or’s patented chromite processing technology yields an UpGraded Chromite (UGC), primarily for use in stainless steel manufacturing.

Chromium (Cr) is primarily used in stainless steel production, giving the steel its 'stainless' properties - essentially corrosion resistance. Presently, chromium is added to stainless steel in the form of ferrochromium, an alloy of iron and chromium.

Ferrochromium is costly to produce because it requires an energy-intensive process. Pro-Or’s UGC production process is substantially lower cost, yet has been shown to create a product containing approximately 91% Cr, substantially richer than the highest quality ferrochromium currently available on the market, which contains 80% Cr. This product could therefore potentially replace ferrochromium altogether in the production of stainless steel.

Outlook

INRS will begin producing samples of UGC in the coming months, which will then allow Pro-Or to contact potential UGC users and begin developing the market, with the help of GM and Amalgamet.