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Nickel

Use

Nickel is mainly used for stainless steel. It is also used as an alloying agent for metal products (with and without iron). Another use is electroplating, in which a thin layer of nickel is coated onto a metal object as a decorative feature or to provide resistance to corrosion and wear. Finally, nickel is well known to be a component of nickel-cadmium batteries, but an important evolving use is the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles which will probably in the future become a more important part of the use of Nickel.

chart with the different usage of Nickel

Nickel price

Nickel Monthly Price in US Dollars per Dry Metric Ton

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Description: Nickel (LME), cathodes, minimum 99.8% purity, settlement price beginning 2005; previously cash price

Source: Platts Metals Week, Thomson Reuters Datastream; World Bank.

Producers countries in the world

Rank Country Production by country in 2018 (metric tons)
1 Indonesia 560 000
2 Philippines 340 000
3 New Caledonia (France) 210 000
4 Russia 210 000
5 Other Countries 180 000
6 Australia 170 000
7 Canada 160 000
8 China 110 000
9 Brazil 80 000
10 Cuba 53 000
11 Guatemala 49 000
12 Finland 46 000
13 South Africa 44 000
14 Colombia 43 000
15 Madagascar 39 000
16 United States 19 000

Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Resources Program

Map of the Nickel production by country

map of the nickel production by country

Map with the major Nickel deposits in the world

map with the major nickel deposits in the world

Nickel reserves by country

Rank Country Production by country in 2018 (metric tons)
1 Indonesia 21 000 000
2 Australia 19 000 000
3 Brazil 11 000 000
4 Russia 7 600 000
5 Other countries 6 500 000
6 Cuba 5 500 000
7 Philippines 4 800 000
8 South Africa 3 700 000
9 China 2 800 000
10 Canada 2 700 000
11 Guatemala 1 800 000
12 Madagascar 1 600 000
13 Colombia 440 000
14 United States 110 000

Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Resources Program