Chemical details

Nickel as pure metal is polishable and highly resistant to corrosion. In humid air it only oxidises slowly. Nickel is very ferromagnetic and alloys easily with iron, copper and other metals with a high melting point.

Uses

Nickel is mainly used in the production of stainless steel. Alloys such as iron nickel alloy and iron cobalt nickel alloy are also used in glass-to-metal seals. Other common alloys are copper nickel alloys for corrosion-proof materials. Due to its corrosion resistance and polishability, nickel is also often used for coatings.

History

The first use of nickel dates back to the 3rd millennium BC: in China a nickel copper alloy was used for coinage. In 1751 the Swede Axel Frederic Cronstedt discovered the element nickel in niccolite. However, it was only very much later that pure nickel could be produced.

Occurrence

In native form nickel occurs in meteoric iron, partly in arsenical nickel (NiAs) and in gersdorffite (NiAsS). Due to its affinity with iron, nickel is often found in iron ores, where it is extracted from both pyritiferous and lateritic ores. Important nickel mining areas are to be found in Canada, Russia, Cuba and Australia.