Abstract: An unburnt refractory mass, which can be in the form of a brick, for use in vessels employed in metallurgical refining consisting essentially of chromium-ore, sintered magnesia and a carbon-containing binder, said mass consisting essentially of:75 to 95% by weight chromium ore having a Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 content of at least 30% by weight;0 to 19% sintered magnesia poor in iron content; and2 to 7% hard pitch combined with 1.5 to 5% carbon so as to provide an overall residual carbon of 3 to 6%.