CHAPTER VIII 
ORES OF FIVE MINOR METALS—NICKEL, MERCURY 
ANTIMONY, ARSENIC, AND BISMUTH 
Nicker—Uses anp Price—Nickel (Ni; at. wt, 59; sp. 
gr., 8:4 to 8-8; melting-point, 2650° F.) is a widely distri- 
buted metal which occurs with native iron in the iron 
meteorites and must form a considerable proportion of the 
metallic barysphere. Although early used by the Chinese 
for coins, it was not discovered in Europe until 1751, and re- 
mained scarce until the opening of the New Caledonia 
deposits in 1890, and of the still richer mines at Sudbury 
In Canada. In 1900 the world's production was 7500 tons; 
In 1913 Canada produced 21,600 tons, New Caledonia 2700, 
and Norway 700. During the War the output rose to 40,000 
tons, and the price to £200 per ton ; but owing to the stocks 
then accumulated, the output fell in 1921 to 5000 tons; 
but it had risen to 36,000 tons in 1925, and the price is now 
about £170 per ton. Nickelis whitein colour, hard and ductile, 
and does not tarnish as it is not readily oxidized. Its main 
use is in alloys, such as nickel-steel, of which the strength 
1s largely due to its 3 per cent. of nickel. It lowers the cost 
of metal structures by reducing the necessary weight. It 
was long used mainly as German-silver, an alloy of nickel, 
copper, and zinc. Nickel forms 36 per cent. of invar, a 
metal used for scientific instruments, as it has the lowest 
known coefficient of expansion. Grains of a native iron- 
nickel alloy, Awaruite (FeNi,), are found in serpentine in 
New Zealand. 
_ Nickel has often been regarded from its association with 
;'ON In meteorites as formed by direct igneous action. It 
Is chiefly found in sulphides, especially pyrrhotite (magnetic 
Pyrites), in which it is present as pentlandite ((FeNiS); 
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