Hobbies And Interests
Metal Alloys
The greatest demand for nickel comes from the stainless steel producers. Stainless steel is an essential commodity for many industrial and commercial interests. Machines that process food products or chemicals are built with stainless steel. More than half of all nickel refined goes to producing stainless steel, an alloy; 85 percent of nickel is used in some kind of metal alloy. Other important nickel mixtures include iron and chromium.
Coins
Some of the earliest uses of nickel were for coinage. It is so commonly used in this way that the term "nickel" refers to a five-cent piece in many countries. In Canada, a major nickel mining hub, pure nickel was used to make both quarters and dimes as well as nickels. Modern coins are still made with nickel in a plated form on stainless steel to improve the coins durability.
Chemical Applications
Nickel, and any alloy that includes nickel, is very durable and can withstand the effects of corrosive metals. The metal is used to plate batteries and make containers for chemical cleaners and medicines. Nickel in a dust or powder form is also an ingredient in charcoal briquettes and pellets, and is used in the commercial production of hydrogenated fats and oils.
Recycled Materials
Nickel is one of the main ingredients in stainless steel, which is recycled extensively. Steel producers use about half of recycled metal for their product, with the split at about 45 percent of recycled materials. Nickel is pliable but durable and retains its qualities after the recycling process. Few minerals are more extensively reused and recycled than nickel.