Nickel
(information)
Here’s a structured breakdown of the **20 most common uses of Nickel**, grouped by sector with approximate global consumption shares: --- ## 📊 Global Nickel Uses by Sector --- ### **1–5: Stainless Steel & Alloys (~65–70%)** 1. **Stainless Steel Production** – The largest use of nickel, improves corrosion resistance and toughness. 2. **Construction Steel** – Bridges, skyscrapers, pipelines. 3. **Household & Kitchenware** – Sinks, cutlery, cookware. 4. **Transportation Steel** – Automotive parts, railway cars, shipbuilding. 5. **Chemical & Food Processing Equipment** – Tanks, reactors, pipelines. --- ### **6–10: Non-Ferrous Alloys (~10–12%)** 6. **Nickel–Copper Alloys (Monel)** – Marine applications, desalination plants. 7. **Nickel–Chromium Alloys (Nichrome)** – Heating elements, resistors. 8. **Nickel–Iron Alloys (Invar, Permalloy)** – Precision instruments, transformers. 9. **Nickel–Superalloys** – Jet engines, turbines, aerospace parts. 10. **Armor & Military Applications** – Ballistic protection and naval materials. --- ### **11–15: Batteries & Energy (~8–10%)** 11. **Lithium-Ion Batteries (NMC, NCA cathodes)** – Electric vehicles, electronics. 12. **Nickel–Metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteries** – Hybrid cars, electronics. 13. **Nickel–Cadmium (NiCd) Batteries** – Tools, emergency lighting (declining use). 14. **Grid Energy Storage Systems** – Industrial-scale batteries. 15. **Hydrogen Storage & Fuel Cells** – Nickel catalysts for hydrogen reforming. --- ### **16–20: Plating, Chemicals & Other (~8–10%)** 16. **Nickel Plating & Electroplating** – Decorative and protective coatings. 17. **Catalysts in Petrochemicals** – Hydrogenation, refining, and syngas production. 18. **Coins & Currency** – Historically and still in some alloys. 19. **Electronics & Magnetic Materials** – Sensors, relays, data storage. 20. **Medical & Specialty Uses** – Implants, surgical instruments, dental alloys. --- ## 💡 **Summary of Approximate Shares by Sector** | Sector | % of Global Nickel Use | | -------------------------- | ---------------------- | | Stainless Steel & Alloys | 65–70% | | Non-Ferrous Alloys | 10–12% | | Batteries & Energy | 8–10% | | Plating, Chemicals & Other | 8–10% | --- ✅ **Bottom line:** Nickel is primarily a **stainless steel metal (~70%)**, but its role is rapidly expanding in **batteries for EVs** and in **superalloys for aerospace and energy**. Would you like me to make a **pie chart visualization** for nickel uses so you can compare it directly to cobalt, manganese, chromium, and vanadium?Top Exporters
- **Philippines**: $1.08 billion
- **Zimbabwe**: $647 million
- **United States**: $368 million
- **Finland**: $284 million
- **Brazil**: $244 million
- **Zambia**: $132 million
- **Canada**: $92.9 million
- **Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)**: $85.2 million
- **Guatemala**: $29.1 million
- **Tanzania**: $20.2 million
- **Namibia**: $18.1 million
- **Cyprus**: $3.76 million
- **Germany**: $2.72 million
- **Norway**: $2.41 million
- **France**: $1.48 million
- **Slovak Republic**: $1.41 million
- **Singapore**: $1.33 million
- **Other Asia, nes**: $1.27 million
- **South Korea**: $1.03 million
- **Botswana**: $698,000
Known Methods of Extraction
Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Nickel (Ni, atomic number 28).** Nickel is a **transition metal** that rarely occurs free in nature. It is primarily found in **sulfide ores (pentlandite, Ni₉S₈) and laterite ores (limonite-type NiO(OH))**. Industrial extraction involves **pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods**. Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Nickel**: --- # **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Nickel** ### **A. Pyrometallurgical / Large-Scale Methods** 1. **Smelting of Nickel Sulfide Ores (Roasting + Electric Furnace)** – Converts sulfides to matte (Ni,Fe)S. 2. **Converting Matte to Metallic Nickel** – Oxidative removal of Fe and S in converters. 3. **Mond Process (Ni + CO → Ni(CO)₄ → Ni)** – Produces high-purity nickel. 4. **Ferronickel Production via Laterite Smelting** – Nickel + Fe alloys for stainless steel. 5. **Blast Furnace Reduction of Nickel Laterites** – Historical method; now mostly electric furnace. 6. **Submerged Arc Furnace Reduction of Sulfide Ores** – Produces Ni-Fe matte. --- ### **B. Hydrometallurgical Methods** 7. **Pressure Acid Leaching (PAL) of Laterites** – Converts NiO/Ni(OH)₂ to Ni²⁺ solution. 8. **Heap Leaching with Sulfuric Acid** – Low-grade laterite ores. 9. **Ammoniacal Leaching of Sulfide/Nickel Matte** – Solubilizes Ni for separation. 10. **Solvent Extraction of Nickel from Leach Liquors** – Uses organophosphorus extractants. 11. **Ion Exchange Purification** – Separates Ni from Co, Cu, Fe impurities. 12. **Precipitation of Nickel Hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂)** – Intermediate before reduction. --- ### **C. Reduction to Metallic Nickel** 13. **Hydrogen Reduction of NiO or Ni(OH)₂** – Produces metallic nickel powder. 14. **Electrolytic Deposition from Ni²⁺ Solutions** – High-purity nickel metal production. 15. **Aluminothermic Reduction of NiO** – Small-scale or specialty lab method. 16. **Reduction of Nickel Chloride (NiCl₂) with Na/K** – Lab-scale metallothermic reduction. 17. **Magnesiothermic Reduction of NiO** – Experimental lab method. --- ### **D. Specialized / Recycling Methods** 18. **Recovery of Nickel from Spent Batteries (Ni-Cd, Li-ion)** – Hydrometallurgical leaching. 19. **Recovery from Stainless Steel or Nickel Alloy Scrap** – Electrorefining or melting. 20. **Plasma or Solar-Thermal Reduction of Ni Compounds** – Experimental high-purity or renewable methods. --- ✅ **Summary:** * **Main industrial methods:** Smelting of sulfide ores → nickel matte → purification or laterite smelting → ferronickel. * **High-purity nickel:** Mond process or electrolysis from Ni²⁺ solutions. * **Hydrometallurgical:** Pressure or heap leaching, solvent extraction, precipitation. * **Lab/experimental:** Mg/Na reduction, aluminothermic, plasma, solar-thermal. * **Recycling sources:** Batteries, alloy scrap. --- Next in periodic order is **Copper (Cu, atomic number 29).** Do you want me to continue with **20 extraction methods for Copper**?
