The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-09-06
Nickel-The Coming Metal.


This is the s,coming metal" Its Inn
portance is now generally recognized;
its uses are destined to be vastly multi
Piled. 1t is only few years since the
metal was first separated from its i'm
purities in commercial quantities, and
utilized in its pure state without alloy
or contamination by sulphur, arsenic,
or other elements with which it is uni
yersally combined in its natural state.
As to its geographical distribution, il
may be said that it is found in many
localities and in various parts of the
world; but only in few places has it
been found in sufficient quantities and
of sufficient richness to be worked with
commercial success. The recent dis
coveries in New Caledonia Gan island
lying to the east of and not far from
Australia) have given such Importance
and commercial cheapness to this met
al as to bring 1t into economical uses
heretofore unknown. This locality is
at present the main source of supply
for the world. The only place in the
United States where it has been extern
sively mined is at Lancaster Gap, Penn
sylvania. This is the well-known
mine of Joseph Wharton, of Philadel-
phia. He is now the only producer of
metallic nickel in the United States.
The ore from this mine contains in
bulk from l J to 2 per cent. of nickel.
1t is worked into its commercial state
at Mr.. " harton's extensive works at
Camden, N. J. The important deposits
of nickel ore recently found in Nevada
are now attracting attention. These
deposits are rich in oxides of nickel
and oxides of cobalt. The grade of
this ore is as high as the per cent. of
nickel or nickel and cobalt. Nickel is
now worked so as to be ductile and
malleable.
This metal is to be viewed as new
material, new gift to the industrial
arts, with an unknown number of APP
plicatiQns before it. Its most extensive
use is in plating and in the manufacture
of german silver. For coinage, there
has been a large demand, which is de-
stined to be greatly increased as its adj
vantages and economy are better I'M
derstood. 1t has varied in price from
one dollar to four dollars per pound in
the last twenty years. The price in
England, in 1888, was quoted in memo
rial to Congress at seventy cents per
pound. In the shape for plating it COM
mands much higher price. From
1876 to 1882, the price was on the
average upwards of one dollar and
forty cents per pound for large con-
tracts.
The production from the Gap mine
to 1888 is estimated at about 1000, 900
pounds. If the mines in Nevada turn
out as expected, the importation of
nickel to this country will not be neces-
sary, but it is higly probable that we
can export to Europe. The consump-
ton of nickel for electro plating is very
large. One company, known as the
United Nickel CO., admit that the
royalties received under its patent for
plating processes amounted to no less
than $4,000 year. This is all recent
and new. In the coinage up to June,
1876, the United States had alone is
sued of the five cent nickel to the ex-
tent of Sc, in value. In the
German Empire the total nickel coin
age amounted in January, 1877, to
about S9,880,000, and in Belgium, in
1876, to 6,59S, 1865 francs in value.
There is to be added, also, the amount
of one-cent nickel coin in the United
States. Great Britain ought to substi-
ture nickle for its clumsy pennies.
The refining of nickel and cobalt was
commenced in the United States by
Prof J. C. Booth, of Philadelphia, in
w h..
than any one else to promote the metal
lurgy of nickel in the United
States. The treatment of it to secure
the best re ults is matter of high de-
gree of skill. Expensive works for
rolling nickel have been recently
erected at Camden, containing, among
other machines, two trains of 40-inch
rolls, Is inches in diameter, with an
healing rooms and their adjuncts, and
90-inch horsepower engine. The
largest sheet yet rolled at Camden was
Y inches long and a inches wide, pure
nickel. Nickel is also welded upon iron
and upon steel plates. A great variety
of domestic utensils have been made
out of pure nickel. 1t is noble metal
in its beauty and in its durability and
freedom from ruSI anu ulScOiordJlOn.
1t is proposed to make nickel boiler
plates. Knives and razors will be made
of it. A more uniform and constant
supply of this metal is demanded.
Its production will constitute profit.
able industry, now that the probability
of increased supply is afforded by the
discovery of the Nevada mines. We
refer to the article in the U. S. Geologi-
cal survey, Mineral Resources of the
United States.' AS indicative of the
lack of appreciation of the uses and ap-
plications of pure nickel, and the prog
ress of art it's manufacture, we
mention that as late as 1873, at the vi
emma exhibition, and again in 1876 at the
Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia,
the intelligent public failed to notice the
Importance of the remarkable series of
objects made of wrought nickel. The
judge reported them as worthy of an
award, while persons not especially
versed in such matters were surprised
when their attention was called to the
subject, to find that pure nickel was
wrought into articles that could be put
to daily use in the arts and in domestic