Nickel

Nickel Latest News

Recent study has revealed that nickel can be extracted from low-grade ores using hydrogen plasma instead of carbon.

About Nickel

• It is a metallic element with a silvery-white, shiny appearance.
• It is the fifth-most common element on earth and occurs extensively in the earth’s crust and core.
• Nickel, along with iron, is also a common element in meteorites.
• It occurs naturally in soil and water. It is also an essential nutrient for plants. 
• It has outstanding physical and chemical properties, which make it essential in hundreds of thousands of products.
• Nickel occurs principally as oxides, sulphides and silicates in India.
• 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 

• Its biggest use is in alloying – particularly with chromium and other metals to produce stainless and heat-resisting steels.
• Nickel is an important metal used in several clean energy technologies, especially Electric Vehicles (EVs).
• It is used in batteries, including rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries used in hybrid vehicles.

Nickel FAQs

Q1: What is the formula for nickel?

Ans: Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28.

Q2: What is nickel used for?

Ans: Primarily used in stainless steel production, it supports a wide range of industries and everyday products. 

Source: TH