In 1761 Johann Gottlob Lehmann discovered a reddish-orange lead chromate mineral (PbCr04) in the Urals, which he named red-lead ore. Because he identified it as having a lead-iron-selenium composition, chromium remained undetected.
In 1770 Peter Simon Pallas found in the same place a red lead-containing mineral, which was suitable as a pigment in paint. The use of red-lead ore increased rapidly. Yellow-chrome, a radiant yellow form extracted from crocoite (red-lead ore) became a fashionalbe colour.
The discovery of chrome is attributed to L. N. Vauquelin, who in the year 1797 produced chromic oxide out of croconic mineral (a lead-chromate) and then the metal chromium out of this oxide by reducing it with carbon. Today chrome is manufactured aluminothermically in large quantities out of chromic oxide, or electrolytically out of chrome solutions. In the earth's crust 200g of chrome are found per ton, aprox. similar to the joint deposit of nickel and copper.
Pure chromium (at PLANSEE under the name of Ducropor) and its alloys (at PLANSEE called Ducrolloy) are standing out due to their excellent corrosion resistance against various acids, bases and hot gases. For more than 10 years PLANSEE is dealing with the production and processing of chromium and chromium alloys, and nowadays is one of the world's leading manufacturers of semifinished products and components made of these materials.
