Introduction Pure nickel is a hard, silvery white metal, which has properties that make it very desirable for combining with other metals to form mixtures called alloys. Some of the metals that nickel can be alloyed with are iron, copper, chromium, and zinc. These alloys have important uses such as in the making of metal coins and jewelry and in industry for making items such as valves and heat exchangers.
Most nickel is used to make stainless steel.
Compounds of nickel combined with many other elements, including chlorine, sulfur, and oxygen, exist. Many of these compounds dissolve fairly easily in water and have a characteristic green color. Nickel and its compounds have no characteristic odor or taste. Nickel compounds are used for nickel plating, to color ceramics, to make some batteries, and as substances known as catalysts to increase the rate of chemical reactions. Nickel combined with other elements occurs naturally in the earth's crust, is found in all soils, and is also emitted from volcanos.