Chromium

Chromium is a very hard, brittle, gray metal, which is sometimes referred to as Siberian red lead. It does not rust easily and becomes shiny and bright when it is polished. The shiny trim on our automobile bumpers and door handles is usually electroplated chromium. Most chromium comes from something called chromite which is a mixture of chromium , iron, and oxygen. Chromite is a common rather ordinary black mineral that no one really noticed until …

…soft and flexible. It is used in the manufacture of soft gloves and other luxury goods. Other chromium compounds are used to treat metal and wood. This treatment helps to preserve objects from corrosion and rot. Chromium is an element wit the chemical symbol Cr, an atomic weight of 51.996. Although it is twice as heavy as aluminum, it is lighter tan all other common metals. It melts at a temperature of 3434 degrees Fahrenheit (1890 degrees Celsius).