Nickel

Nickel, chemical element, symbol Ni; for physical constants see Periodic Table. Nickel was discovered by Alex Cronstedt in 1751. It is found in most meteorites and occurs in the minerals niccolite, garnierite, millerite, pyrrhotite, and pentlandite, from which it is extracted commercially. Nickel is prepared by concentrating its ores by flotation and roasting to the oxide, which is then reduced with carbon. Nickel is a steel-white, hard, ferromagnetic, corrosion-resistant metal. It strongly resembles iron and cobalt. Most nickel is used to prepare alloys, among them German silver, Monel metal, nichrome, and nickel bronze. Nickel and its compounds are suspected carcinogens. Nickel and its compounds are used in stainless steels, coinage metal, batteries, magnets, and catalysts.