Nickel Information

Nickel is a silvery-white shiny metal. On Nickel an oxide layer forms and prevents further corrosion. It is one of only four elements that are magnetic at or near room temperature, the others being iron, cobalt and gadolinium.

Pure Nickel is found but only rarely. Nickel is mined from two types of ore, laterite and magmatic sulfide deposits. An economically important source of nickel is the iron ore limonite, which often contains 1-2% nickel.

About 14% of world nickel production is used for corrosion-resistant pure-nickel plating with most of the remainder going towards making alloys. Warning: Nickel-plated objects sometimes provoke nickel allergy. Nickel has been widely used in coins but this is growning less common as the price rises.

Since 1866 the US Mint made Nickels out of 75 percent Copper and 25 percent Nickel.

Nickel has a melting temperature of 1453C (2647F).