Short answers, pulled from the story.
Chromium was discovered by Louis Nicolas Vauquelin in 1797 when he successfully isolated metallic chromium from crocoite ore. The mineral was first found on the 26th of July 1761 by Johann Gottlob Lehmann in the Beryozovskoye mines of the Ural Mountains.
Chromium is the third hardest element with a Mohs hardness of 8.5 and a melting point of 1907 degrees Celsius. It exhibits a steely-grey luster and is the only elemental solid that shows antiferromagnetic ordering at room temperature and below.
Adding metallic chromium to steel creates alloys with chromium concentrations above 11% that are highly resistant to corrosion and discoloration. This process involves adding ferrochromium to molten iron to produce the vast majority of chromium's commercial use.
Hexavalent chromium is a potent carcinogen that damages the kidneys, liver, and blood cells through strong oxidation reactions. The European Chemicals Agency designates chromium trioxide as a substance of very high concern due to its toxicity and environmental impact.
Chromium compounds create vibrant pigments like chrome yellow and the deep red color of rubies found in corundum crystals. The first laser was created in 1960 using stimulated emission of light from chromium atoms in a synthetic ruby crystal.
South Africa produces 48% of the world's chromium ore in 2013, followed by Kazakhstan at 13% and Turkey at 11%. About two-fifths of the world's chromite ores and concentrates are produced in South Africa, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.