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Your Door to Raw Materials & Markets Nickel Description Nickel is the chemical element with the atomic number 28, located in the 10th group on the periodic table. Nickel is a fairly abundant element making about 0.008% of the Earth's crust and 0.01% of igneous rocks. It is assumed that there are large quantities of this metal in the Earth's core. The mineral forms in which nickel can be found are Nickeline (NiAs), Garnierite (Si4O13 [Ni, Mg]2 • 2 H2O), the latter being the most common ore for the extraction of nickel. Sulphides can also be found, with the following iron and nickel sulphides being the most important: Pentlandite and Pyrhotite (Ni, Fe)xSy. Other nickel minerals which can be found in nature are arsenides, silicates and sulphoarsenides. Nickel is present in small amounts in plants and animals. It is present as well in small quantities in the sea water, petroleum and most of the coal. Mines in Canada, Cuba and Russia are currently producing 70% of the world’s nickel consumption. Other producers are Bolivia, Colombia, Puerto Rico, New Caledonia (overseas province of France) and the Dominican Republic. The nickel obtaining process from sulphide ores is traditionally performed by pyrometallurgical methods obtaining nickel matte as intermediate. This process mainly consists of two stages; the first is an oxidizing roasting to subsequently make a reduction to metallic nickel through the Mond process. Properties Physical Properties Name Nickel Atomic Number 28 Symbol Ni Atomic Weight 58.69 Density (g/ml) 8.9 Boiling Point ºC 2913 Melting Point ºC 1453 Electronic Properties Valence 2, 3 Electro negativity 1.91 Covalent Radius 1.21 Ionic Radius 0.78 Atomic Radius 1.24 Atomic Structure [Ar]3d84s2 Ionization Potential (eV) 7.64 Nickel is a silvery white, ductile and malleable hard metal. Its relative density to water at 20ºC is 8.90. It is only moderately reactive. It is resistant to alkaline corrosion and does not ignite in coarse sizes, but very thin wires could ignite. It is located above hydrogen in the electrochemical series. Nickel is slowly soluble in diluted acids releasing hydrogen and in metallic form it is a strong reducing agent. Nickel has a valence of +2 in most compounds, but it can also exist in several other oxidation states. Besides simple compounds or salts, nickel forms a variety of coordination compounds or complexes. Most nickel compounds are green or blue coloured due to hydration or other impurities binding to the metal. Metallic Nickel is classified as a hazardous substance by the EU CLP Regulation as follows: Carc. 2, H351 STOT RE 1, H372, Exposure route is not specified due to lack of necessary information. Skins Sens. 1, H317 Metallic Nickel is not classified as a hazardous good for transportation. Uses Stainless steel, special alloys and alloys such as nickel brasses and bronzes and alloys with copper, chromium, aluminium, lead, cobalt, silver and gold (Inconel, Incoloy, Monel, Nimonic). Manufacturing rechargeable batteries, electric guitar strings and microphone capsules. AlNiCo magnets. Coinage. Plating. Catalysts for oil refining and petrochemistry • • • • COMETAL, S.A. C/José Lázaro Galdiano 4 28036 Madrid (Spain) Tel: +34 91 4585980 Fax: +34 91 4585987 • [email protected] • www.cometalsa.com • VAT Nr ESA28117026