Nickel

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Nickel

What is Nickel?
Nickel is a natural element obtained from the core of the earth. It has silver white color with a shining base and golden tint in it. Nickel is said to be useful for its properties of being ductile and corrosion resistant. Nickel is extracted from two ores - magmatic sulfides and laterites.

Nickel is widely used in making alloys apart from its use in transport, aerospace, marine, architectural and consumer applications. In particular it is used for making utensils, coins, magnets and other metals. It is specifically used for plating and that plating polish is called German silver. Stainless steel is the most important alloy of nickel which is further used in making utensils, equipments, chemical plants and food processing units.

Russia is the largest producer of this metal in the world whereas China leads in terms of usage. Most of its consumption is attributed to the production of stainless steel. India is totally dependent on imports for nickel. The main factors that influence nickel markets are discovery of new mines and derived demand from stainless steel.

Internationally, London Metal Exchange is the main exchange. In India, it is majorly traded at the MCX with two types of future contracts - Nickel & Nickel Mini. The only difference is their trading unit.

How Do We Use Nickel?
Approximately 80 percent of the primary (not recycled) nickel consumed in the United States in 2011 was used in alloys, such as stainless steel and superalloys. Because nickel increases an alloy's resistance to corrosion and its ability to withstand extreme temperatures, equipment and parts made of nickel-bearing alloys are often used in harsh environments, such as those in chemical plants, petroleum refineries, jet engines, power generation facilities, and offshore installations. Medical equipment, cookware, and cutlery are often made of stainless steel because it is easy to clean and sterilize.

The Nickel Advantage is not limited to the attributes it brings to different materials and processes.

There are the environmental and socio-economic dimensions that go beyond the technical reasons for using or considering using nickel or nickel-containing material.

Nickel is an investment that makes possible many new and emerging products and processes that are important to increase environmental efficiency. Nickel makes many other existing products and processes more energy efficient, durable and tough.

The value of nickel ensures that it is used efficiently and extensively recycled, while the attributes of nickel-containing materials fully support eco-efficiency. It makes significant contributions to sustainability and is responsibly managed through its life cycle by the nickel value chain, starting with the primary nickel industry itself.

The production, use and recycling of nickel is a value-added economic activity that supports communities and governments. The nickel industry embraces its responsibilities to workers, communities, shareholders and the environment.


Uses Of Nickel:

  • The most crucial use of this element is that it is used to make coins.
  • It is used in making wires.
  • It is used in gas turbines and rocket engines as it has the capability to resist corrosion even at high temperature.
  • It is used to make a variety of alloys which are further used to make armour plating, nails, or pipes.
  • Monel (alloys of nickel and copper), is a hard compound and can resist corrosion by seawater. Hence, it is used in propeller shaft in boats and desalination plants.


Properties Of Nickel:

  • Nickel is silvery-white, hard, malleable, and ductile metal.
  • It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
  • It is bivalent, that is it has a valency of two.
  • The metal dissolves slowly in dilute acids.
  • It's melting point is 1453 oC and boiling point is 2913 oC.


Nickel









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