Abstract

Nickel (Ni) is a transition element that exhibits a mixture of ferrous and nonferrous metal properties. It is both siderophile (i.e., associates with iron) and chalcophile (i.e., associates with sulfur). The bulk of the nickel mined comes from two types of ore deposits: * laterites where the principal ore minerals are nickeliferous limonite [(Fe,Ni)O(OH)] and garnierite (a hydrous nickel silicate), or * magmatic sulfide deposits where the principal ore mineral is pentlandite [(Ni,Fe)9S8]. (..) Nickel is primarily sold for first use as refined metal (cathode, powder, briquet, etc.) or ferronickel. About 65% of the nickel consumed in the Western World is used to make austenitic stainless steel. Another 12% goes into superalloys (e.g., Inconel 600) or nonferrous alloys (e.g., cupronickel). Both families of alloys are widely used because of their corrosion resistance. The aerospace industry is a leading consumer of nickel-base superalloys. Turbine blades, discs and other critical parts of jet engines are fabricated from superalloys. Nickel-base superalloys are also used in land-based combustion turbines, such those found at electric power generation stations. The remaining 23% of consumption is divided between alloy steels, rechargeable batteries, catalysts and other chemicals, coinage, foundry products, and plating. Source: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/nickel/

Author(s)

Kees Klein Goldewijk & Jonathan Fink-Jensen, Utrecht University

Production date

2014-11-1

Variable(s)

Nickel mine production, in thousand metric tons

Keywords

Nickel, Mine production, Ni

Time period

1850-2012

Geographical coverage

Worldwide

Methodologies used for data collection and processing

Data inventory

Period of collection

Data collectors

British Geological Survey (BGS) U.S. Bureau of Mines, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)


Good

General references

British Geological Survey, World Mineral Statistics, website: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/statistics/worldArchive.html (Last visited on: 13-11-2014).

Mitchell, B.R., International Historical Statistics - Africa, Asia & Oceania 1750-2005 (London, 2007).

Mitchell, B.R., International Historical Statistics - Europe (London, 2007).

Mitchell, B.R., International Historical Statistics - The Americas 1750-2005 (London, 2007).

Schmitz, Christopher J., World Non-Ferrous Metal Production and Prices, 1700-1976 (London, 1979).

U.S. Geological Survey, Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States, website: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/historical-statistics/ (Last visited on: 13-11-2014).

Caribbean

Anguilla[No Data]

Antigua and Barbuda1500 (5)-2013 (21)

Aruba[No Data]

Bahamas1500 (5)-2013 (23)

Barbados1500 (5)-2016 (28)

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba[No Data]

British Virgin Islands[No Data]

Cayman Islands[No Data]

Cuba1500 (8)-2016 (35)

Curaçao[No Data]

Dominica1500 (5)-2016 (21)

Dominican Republic1500 (6)-2018 (38)

Grenada1500 (5)-2013 (21)

Guadeloupe[No Data]

Haiti1500 (6)-2018 (36)

Jamaica1500 (6)-2018 (35)

Martinique[No Data]

Montserrat[No Data]

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