Nickel

About Nickel:

• It is a silver-white shiny appearing metal with the chemical symbol Ni.
• It is the fifth-most common element on earth and occurs extensively in the earth’s crust and core.
• Occurrence:
  • It is usually found in laterite deposits.
  • It occurs naturally in soil and water. It is also an essential nutrient for plants. 
  • It is also a common element in meteorites.
• Properties:
  • It is high ductility, toughness, and provide strength.
  • Nickel occurs principally as oxides, sulphides and silicates in India.
  • It is highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation.
  • It has high thermal and electrical conductivity.
• India has substantial nickel laterite reserves, particularly in Odisha’s Sukinda region.
• World Distribution: Indonesia (22%), Australia (21%), Brazil (17%), Russia (7%), Cuba (6%) and Philippines (5%) are the major countries having reserves of Nickel.
• Applications of Nickel:
  • Alloying Agent: Its biggest use is in alloying – particularly with chromium and other metals to produce stainless and heat-resisting steels.
  • Electric Vehicles: It is an important metal used in several clean energy technologies, especially Electric Vehicles (EVs).
  • Batteries: It is used in batteries, including rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries used in hybrid vehicles.
  • Nickel is often used to form protective coatings on other metals using electroplating.