ust a quick note about the environmental problems of Chromium development.

1. chromium III rusts when exposed to air, it produces hexavalent chromium or chromium IV

2. chromium III is exposed to air when it is mined, milled, transported and smelted.


Problems with Chromium IV or hexavalent chromium

1. It is toxic at parts per billion, which is 1000 times less than the parts per million toxicity we have traditionally encountered.

2. Chromium IV is stable, it does not break down, does not get buried in the bottom of the lake (it is not a heavy metal) it requires an organic host to turn it back into chromium III its benign state.

3. Chromium IV when it is air borne in parts per billion causes lung cancer and sinus cancer, It has a latency period of 10 years.

4. Chromium IV likes water, it causes stomach and digestive system cancers when it gets into the water and food chain.

5. Chromium IV crosses the placenta and causes birth defects in parts per billion.

6. Chromium IV causes changes in DNA.

7. Chromium IV causes skin rashes when it contacts human skin.