Nickel

  • NickelWhat is it and where is it formed?  Nickel is an element that is usually found with iron.  It is rare and scientists think that the Earth’s core might have a lot of it.

  • How and where is it mined?  Nickel is mined using open pit and underground mining.  When the ore is mined, the nickel has to be taken out of it.  There are different ways to get the nickel out of ore.  One way is smelting where the ore is heated with chemicals until it separates from the ore.  Sometimes very high heat will be enough to cause the ore to separate from the nickel without using chemicals.  Nickel is found in Russia, Canada, Australia, and New Caledonia.

  • What is it used for?  Nickel is used in stainless steel, glassmaking, magnets, bullet-proof safes, coins, and rechargeable batteries.  Most nickel is combined with other metals when it is used.  It is also used for mineral collections. 

  • Interesting information:

    • A Swedish chemist, named Axel Cronstedt, discovered nickel in 1751.

    • Iron meteorites have nickel in them.

    • Early miners thought nickel was cursed.
Mineral Characteristic What the
mineralogists say		 Kid's Guide:  What it REALLY means!
Chemical Symbol Ni

It is an Element on the Periodic Table of Elements
Color Silvery white When it is in its ore, it is silvery white.
Streak Gray metallic If you crush this metal, its dust will be metallic gray.
Transparency Opaque You can’t see through it and light can’t pass through it.
Luster Metallic If you shine a light on it, it shines like glass.
Cleavage None It doesn’t break in a pattern.
Fracture Hackly When it is broken, it breaks into pieces that have lots of jagged edges.
Magnetism Yes Nickel is strongly magnetic.
Hardness 4.5 It is hard enough that a fingernail won’t scratch it but a metal, building nail will.
Specific gravity 8 It is very heavy.
Crystal Shape Cubic

Cubic