Nickel might not get the attention of gold or silver, but it quietly keeps the modern world running. This silvery-white metal is found in everything from coins and kitchen taps to electric cars and spacecraft. In fact, around 70% of the world’s nickel goes into making stainless steel, which is why your cutlery doesn’t rust after one wash.
Nickel is also surprisingly magnetic
Along with iron and cobalt, it’s one of the few metals that can naturally become magnetic at room temperature. That makes it useful in electronics, batteries and even guitar strings. Halfway between science lab and superhero material, nickel is prized for being incredibly resistant to corrosion. That’s why industries rely on processes such as electroless nickel plating to coat machinery, aerospace parts and tools that need to survive harsh conditions without rusting or wearing out too quickly. If this is something you could benefit from, professionals such as electroless nickel plating are on hand.
It’s even hiding in your money
The 1p and 2p coins are actually steel coated with copper-plated steel, but many older coins around the world contain high amounts of nickel because it’s durable and difficult to counterfeit. All US circulating coins except the penny are made of alloys that contain nickel.
What’s one of the strangest facts?
One of the strangest facts about nickel is that it was originally mistaken for copper ore by German miners in the 1700s. When they couldn’t extract copper from it, they blamed a mischievous spirit called ‘Old Nick’, which is where the metal got its name.