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Glite Dictionary
ferrochrome

ferrochrome

1 8.6
A metal made from iron and chromium that makes steel harder and less likely to rust
  • noun
  • /ˈfɛroʊˌkroʊm/
  • Specialized
: ferro cromo
  • JOHANNESBURG -- South African miner Merafe Resources expects the demand for ferrochrome to recover in the short to medium term, CEO Steve Phiri said on Tuesday.

Examples

  • Merafe's income is generated from the Xstrata-Merafe chrome venture, with a total managed capacity of 1.98 million tons of ferrochrome production a year.

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  • However, Phiri said that 14 furnaces were now running as international demand for ferrochrome had increased.

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  • Merafe had mothballed 17 out of its 20 furnaces in January this year, as ferrochrome prices bottomed out and the company scrambled to maintain costs.

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  • Merafe's share of saleable ferrochrome production decreased by 15% from 150,500 t in the first half of 2008 to 128,100 t in the first half of 2009.

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  • Merafe, which has a chrome venture with diversified miner Xstrata, has already increased its production capacity to 60% in response to the strengthening demand for ferrochrome.

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  • Ferrochrome is an essential ingredient in ferrochrome production due to its ability to improve hardness and resistance to corrosion.

  • The manufacturing plant specializes in producing high-quality ferrochrome for the global market.

  • Due to the rising demand for stainless steel, the company plans to expand its ferrochrome production capacity significantly.

Surface Forms

ferrochrome singular
ferrochromes plural

Morphology

ferrochrome = ferro + chrome (semi-transparent) = ferro + chrome

The term combines the technical combining form 'ferro-' (iron) with 'chrome' (chromium); learners who don't know 'ferro-' may not be able to derive the full meaning.

Etymology

The word ferrochrome starts with ferro ('iron') and ends with chrome ('colour'), the same root you see in chromium and the shiny 'chrome' on cars. So ferrochrome is a metal mix of iron and chromium used to make stainless steel and to make metal harder and resist rust.