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Formula: Ni
Native element, transition metal, iron group
Specific gravity: 8.90
Hardness: 4½
Streak: Greyish white
Colour: White, bright silver
Common impurities: Fe,Co
Melting point: 1455oC
Boiling point: 2990oC
Environments
Nickel occurs occasionally in the native state but is mainly found as compounds. Its chief ores are
pentlandite, pyrrhotite,
népouite-willemseite,
millerite and
nickeline.
Abundance is 84 parts per million by mass, 30 parts per million by moles in the Earth's crust, and 80 parts per million by mass, 2 parts
per million by moles in the Solar System. Nickel is 100 times more concentrated in the Earth's core than in the Earth’s crust; it is
believed to be the second most abundant element in the core, after iron, which is far more abundant.
In chemical combinations the oxidation number may be -1, 0, 4 or 2
(ChC).
In the native state nickel occurs in serpentinised
ultramafic rocks as a result of low-temperature hydrothermal activity, associated with
heazlewoodite, pyrite,
pyrrhotite, pentlandite,
godlevskite, orcelite,
millerite, nickel, copper,
chalcopyrite, chalcocite and
galena
(HOM).
Localities
At the type locality, Bogota, Canala Commune, Northern Province, New Caledonia, France, native
Nickel-bearing minerals include:
Alloys
awaruite
majakite
orcelite
taenite
Phosphides - the phosphide ion is P3-
allabogdanite
barringerite
halamishite
nazarovite
negevite
orishchinite
polekhovskyite
schreibersite
transjordanite
Arsenides - the arsenide anion is As3-
krutovite
maucherite
menshikovite
nickeline
nickelskutterudite
rammelsbergite
safflorite
Antimonides - the antimonide anion is Sb3-
breithauptite
Sulphides - the sulphide anion is S2-
argentopentlandite
donharrisite
gersdorffite
godlevskite
heazlewoodite
hrabákite
mackinawite
millerite
pentlandite
tučekite
ullmannite
vaesite
violarite
vozhminite
Selenides - the selenide anion is Se2-
kitkaite
kullerudite
kvačekite
mäkinenite
sederholmite
trüstedtite
tyrrellite
wilkmanite
Oxides - the oxide anion is O2-
bunsenite
tredouxite
Hydroxides - the hydroxide anion is (OH)-
asbolane
jamborite
theophrastite
Chlorides - the chloride anion is Cl-
gillardite
muonionalustaite
Carbonates - the carbonate anion is (CO3)2-
glaukosphaerite
kambaldaite
kaznakhtite
otwayite
szymańskiite
zaratite
Sulphates - the sulphate anion is (SO4)2-
dwornikite
honessite
nickelalumite
nickelhexahydrite
nickelzippeite
retgersite
Selenites - the selenite anion is (SeO3)2-
ahlfeldite
Phosphates
nazarchukite
yakubovichite
Arsenates - the arsenate anion is (As5+O4)3-
aerugite
annabergite
hloušekite
honzaite
johanngeorgenstadtite
niasite
paganoite
petewilliamsite
Nesosilicates - insular (Si4+O4)4- groups
liebenbergite
Phyllosilicates - (Si4+2O5)2- groups
népouite
nimite
willemseite
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