Nickel – Uses

Nickel is expected to play a key role in the energy transition, as it is used for manufacturing electric vehicles, wind turbines, and nuclear power plants. However, not all nickel deposits are suitable for battery production, as batteries require the rarer form of nickel sulphides. Therefore, nickel mining companies will have to invest in exploration and innovation to meet the growing demand for this critical metal.

Some of the most common ones are:

• Stainless steel: Nickel is an essential alloying element in stainless steel, which is widely used for its corrosion resistance, strength, and durability. Stainless steel is used for making kitchenware, cutlery, appliances, pipes, tanks, medical equipment, and many other products.
• Batteries: Nickel is a key component in rechargeable batteries, such as nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These batteries are used for powering electric vehicles, laptops, mobile phones, and other devices.
• Catalysts: Nickel is a valuable catalyst for various chemical reactions, such as hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurization, and hydrocracking. These reactions are important for producing fuels, plastics, and other chemicals.
• Plating: Nickel is used for plating other metals to improve their appearance, corrosion resistance, hardness, and wear resistance. Nickel plating is commonly applied to iron, steel, brass, copper, and zinc products.