In metallurgy and economic geology, chromite is an important ore or mineral source of which metal that is used in stainless steel and electroplating?

Introduction / Context:
Ores are naturally occurring rocks or minerals from which metals can be extracted economically. Knowing the major ores of common metals is a standard part of general chemistry and geology, and is frequently tested in competitive exams. Chromite is a dark, iron chromium oxide mineral that serves as the principal ore of chromium, a metal that gives stainless steel its corrosion resistance and is also used in plating and pigments. This question asks you to connect the name of the ore, chromite, with its metal, chromium.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The ore or mineral mentioned is chromite.
• The options include four metals: zinc, uranium, chromium, and titanium.
• We assume standard school level knowledge of important ores and their associated metals.
• Chromite is chemically an oxide containing chromium and iron.

Concept / Approach:
Chromite has the approximate chemical formula FeCr2O4 and is an oxide of iron and chromium. It is the main commercial source of chromium metal. The name itself contains the root “chrom”, which is related to chromium and colour. During extraction, chromite is processed to produce chromium compounds and ultimately metallic chromium, which is used in stainless steel, alloys, and electroplating. Zinc, uranium, and titanium all have different primary ores (such as sphalerite for zinc, pitchblende for uranium, and ilmenite or rutile for titanium) and are not derived chiefly from chromite.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the formula and name of chromite. Chromite is often represented as FeCr2O4 and is an iron chromium oxide. Step 2: Identify the key metal present along with iron. The formula clearly shows chromium (Cr) as a major component. Step 3: Connect chromite to industrial uses. Chromite deposits are mined to produce chromium for stainless steel and plating. Step 4: Match this with the options and select “Chromium” as the metal of which chromite is an ore.

Verification / Alternative check:
Lists of common ores in textbooks usually pair chromite with chromium, just as bauxite is paired with aluminium and haematite with iron. Chromium itself is not found free in nature; it must be extracted from chromite or similar chromium bearing minerals. In contrast, zinc's common ore is zinc blende (sphalerite, ZnS), uranium's ore is often pitchblende (U3O8), and titanium is commonly obtained from ilmenite (FeTiO3) or rutile (TiO2). This consistent association of chromite with chromium confirms that chromium is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Zinc): Zinc is obtained mainly from ores such as sphalerite (zinc blende), not chromite. Option B (Uranium): Uranium ores include pitchblende and carnotite; chromite is not a significant uranium source. Option D (Titanium): Titanium is commonly extracted from ilmenite and rutile, not from chromite.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up ore names because many contain similar sounding endings like “-ite” and “-ate”. Another mistake is to guess based on which metal feels more “familiar” rather than recalling the correct ore-metal pair. A simple memory aid is that “chromite” and “chromium” share the same “chrom-” root, making the connection clearer. Regularly revising a table of common ores and their metals is helpful for quickly answering such questions in exams.

Final Answer:
Chromite is an ore or mineral of Chromium.