LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Nickel: Metals
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Nickel, with a symbol of Ni, is a silvery shiny, metallic element with an atomic number of 28. It can be hammered into thin sheets, which means it is malleable. Nickel, iron and cobalt are the only three elements known to be ferro-magnetic. Of the three, nickel is the least magnetic. When all three ferro-magnetic metals are alloyed together, an unusually strong magnet is created. This alloy conducts heat and electricity fairly well, but is not as good a conductor as pure silver or copper.
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Nickel metal is of moderate strength and hardness (3.8 on Mohs scale). When viewed as very small particles, nickel appears black. The density of nickel is 8.90 times that of water at 20°C (68°F). Nickel melts at 1455°C (2651°F) and boils at 2840°C (5144°F). Nickel is only moderately reactive. It resists alkaline corrosion and does not burn in the massive state, although fine nickel wires can be ignited.
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Nickel can be recovered using extractive metallurgy. Most sulfide ores have traditionally been processed using pyrometallurgical techniques to produce a matte for further refining. Recent advances in hydrometallurgy have resulted in recent nickel processing operations being developed using these processes. Most sulfide deposits have traditionally been processed by concentration through a froth flotation process followed by pyrometallurgical extraction. Recent advances in hydrometallurgical processing of sulfides has led to some recent projects being built around this technology.
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Nickel occurs combined with sulphur in millerite, with arsenic in the mineral niccolite, and with arsenic and sulphur in nickel glance. Most ores from which nichel is extracted are iron-nickel sulphides, such as pentlandite. The metal is mined in Russia, Australia, New caledonia, Cuba, Canada and South Africa. Annula production exceeds 500.000 tonnes and easily workable reserves will last at least 150 years.
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Nickel was discovered in 1751. However long before that Saxon miners were familiar with the rock which resembled the Copper ore and was of value for colouring glass green. All attempts to separate Copper from it failed. That was the reason why in the end of 18th century this ore was named German word "kupfernickel" meaning Devil's copper or St Nicholas's (Old Nick's) copper. In 1751, Swedish mineralogist Baron Axel Fredrik Cronstedt was attempting to extract copper from kupfernickel (now called niccolite), and obtained instead a white metal that he called nickel. When Bergman isolated purified nickel, he found out that it is a metal with properties close to Iron.
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Nickel is commonly alloyed with other metals to provide resistance to corrosion and heat, and to add strength and hardness. These alloys are used for industrial and consumer goods. Most of the nickel produced is used to make stainless steel. Stainless steel contains about 8% nickel. Monel metal, a highly corrosion-resistant alloy, contains 67% nickel and is usedin ship building, food-processing equipment and in hospitals. Nickel is used by the military for armor plate.
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