Information: Nickel
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**:
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# **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.
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### **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.
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### **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.
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### **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.
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✅ **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.
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Next in periodic order is **Copper (Cu, atomic number 29).**
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