Europe’s biggest stainless steelmaker, Outokumpu, has developed a new sulphidation process to extract chrome from ore using sulphur instead of coking coal, enabling near-zero emissions and higher-purity output. The technology, developed with MIT since 2021 and backed by a $45mn investment, allows production of high-quality chrome from any raw material, breaking the traditional link between ore grade and final product quality. Outokumpu, which operates Europe’s only chrome mine in Finland, plans to launch a pilot plant in 2027 and a commercial-scale facility in the US or Europe by 2030.

Chief Technology Officer Stefan Erdmann emphasized the strategic importance of reducing reliance on Chinese raw materials for defence and EV supply chains, noting the process could also apply to nickel and other critical metals. Byproduct carbon monoxide will be sold to Norsk e-Fuel for sustainable aviation fuel production, lowering costs by over 30%. The initiative supports Western efforts to reshore critical mineral supply chains amid concerns over Europe’s high energy prices, regulatory burden, and declining industrial competitiveness relative to Asia.