For more than a century, Chromium remained a laboratory curiosity. The long delay in its gaining widespread use was its extremely high resistance to heat and chemicals. New methods to extract Chromium from ores had to be devised. Today, with chemist being able to extract chromium from ores have many uses for Chromium. The uses include:
 | Stainless Steel-- Because of Chromium's toughness and resistance to chemical action, as little as ten percent of chromium mixed with iron or steel protects them from corrosion. The result is "stainless steel." This alloy is used to make thousands of products such as kitchen knives, surgeons' instruments and automobile trim. Chromium replaced nickel plating because of it's superior hardness and resistance to chemical action. |
| Heat-resisting Chromium alloys are also used for high-temperature chemical apparatus. |
| Chromite (the main chromium ore) is used to make bricks for lining furnaces. |
| In Glass Production--The addition of Chromium to glass, gives glass a emerald green color. |