Global chromite production with a special focus on Tethyan podiform chromite deposits in Albania, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.

Today's quality of life and technological advancement in the world depend on access to a variety of raw materials, such as chromium. The European Union is subject to a high risk of supply disruption because it imports a majority of its critical raw materials, particularly in renewable energy systems. In addition, because of numerous constraints in exploration and extraction activities in Europe, opening new mining operations has become quite burdensome; hence, reevaluating and reviewing the existing sources is essential. For achieving this goal, the production of chromium from chromite deposits in Albania, Turkey, Cyprus, as well as Greece and Finland are reviewed. In Cyprus, chromite production ceased in 1982 and since then the country has been unable to compete in world chromium production. Turkey is one of the world's top six producers of chromium, however, it cannot meet Europe's full demand for chromium on its own. Even though Albania was the largest chromite producer until 1989, it has a declining trend which cannot satisfy the chrome needs in the Europe. With respect to the expense of finding new deposits in European countries, which also have many environmental and ecological limitations, it is suggested to study the previously mined chromite deposits with more advanced modern technologies. Moreover, it is strongly suggested to create a database of chromite deposits within European countries which will allow future researchers and mining companies to more efficiently evaluate chromite resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]