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Mapping the Global Anthropogenic Chromium Cycle: Implications for Resource Efficiency and Potential Supply Risk
Ziyan Gao1, Yong Geng1,2,3, Shijiang Xiao1
1School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|July 13, 2022
Summary
This study maps the global chromium (Cr) cycle using material flow analysis, revealing trade dependencies and identifying key players in stainless steel production. Understanding these chromium flows is crucial for resource efficiency and supply chain security.
Area of Science:
- * Metallurgical Engineering
- * Industrial Ecology
- * Resource Management
Background:
- * Chromium (Cr) is a critical metal with vital, non-substitutable uses in metallurgy.
- * Global chromium reserves are unevenly distributed, necessitating international trade.
- * Current understanding of global chromium flow patterns and trade networks is limited, hindering resource efficiency improvements.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To map the global anthropogenic chromium cycle for the year 2019.
- * To analyze global chromium trade networks and identify key participating countries.
- * To explore opportunities and barriers for enhancing chromium resource efficiency.
Main Methods:
- * Trade-linked multilevel material flow analysis (MFA) was employed to model chromium movement.
- * Social network analysis was utilized to identify key countries in the global chromium trade network.
- * Analysis focused on chromium flow patterns, trade, and scrap content in different national cycles.
Main Results:
- * The global chromium cycle is heavily reliant on international trade, with stainless steel being the primary application.
- * South Africa, Kazakhstan, and Turkey are major primary resource suppliers, while China and India lead in manufacturing chromium-containing products.
- * Significant regional disparities in scrap content were observed, ranging from 7% in China to 88% in India.
Conclusions:
- * International trade is fundamental to the global chromium cycle, particularly for stainless steel.
- * Key countries play crucial roles in chromium redistribution and trade network connectivity, posing risks of import dependence and supply disruption.
- * Understanding these complex flows is essential for improving chromium resource efficiency and ensuring supply chain stability.
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