The behaviour of a chromium oxide liquid sample has been studied in the presence of an argon arc discharge, the oxide being contained in a cathode crucible. The arc current was maintained at 24 and 44 A, at 21 V. The arc temperature distribution range was between 7 000 and 8 500 K, while the liquid oxide temperature stabilized at 2 420 or 2 620 K, depending on the arc current used. The reduced metal was obtained in the molten bath as a mixture with its oxide and was identified by X-ray diffraction.Using the Cr(I) 434.4-nm and Cr(I) 396.3-nm, as well as the Cr(II) 321.7-nm spectral data, it could be shown that a considerable part of the reduced chromium found at the cathode may originate from the arc discharge, migration of the Cr(II) species occurring under the effect of the electric field. The thermodynamic conditions in the cathode bath cannot explain the formation of Cr from the oxide decomposition in the bath. Also, in view of the low chromium oxide vapor pressure at the prevailing bath temperature, the mass transfer rate from the cathode bath to the arc should be increased by liquid oxide projection into the arc gas, under the effect of arc impact on the cathode. This should be followed by oxide evaporation and decomposition at high temperatures. This study confirms that the arc–cathode interaction may substantially increase the amount of oxide reduction at the cathode.