I seem to remember way back the chromite importance , was mentioned.

Yesterday I had a chat with a x US military guy, who researched metals for the US..quess what .... chromite and nickel was on this radar then ...now he’s looking into Noront?

Extract from the net..chromite: 

They are called strategic elements as they are essential for countrys needs economy and defence.  These metals have high tensile strength hi gh corrosion resistance fatigue resistance high crack resistance and ability to withstand high temprature without sneaking. 

Cheers John