The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-10
Nickel to be Used for Many Uses in the Arts
and Domestic Economy Its Produo-
ton and Mannfaotnre

NlCkel is tne coming metal, an artl-
Gle in the Boston Traveller says lis
importance is now generally recogniz-
ed its uses are destined TO be vastly
multiplied 1t is only few years
since the metal was first separated from
its impurities in commercial quantities,
and utilized in its pure state without
alloy or contamination by sulphur, ar
senic, or other elements with which it
Is universally combined in its natural
state
Ar to its geographical distribution,
il nay be said that Ii 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 70 be worked
with commercial success. The recent
discoveries IA New Caledonia ian is
land lying TO the east Of and not far
from Australia have given such i'm
portance and Commercial cheapness to
this metal as to bring it into economi.
cal 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 extensively mined is at Lancas-
ter Gap, Pennsylvania. This is the
well-known mine of Joseph Wharton,
of Philadelphia. He is now the only
producer OF nickel metal in the United
States. The ore from this mine con-
tains in bulk from l ! to 2 per cent. of
nickel. 1t is worked into its CONNER
oial state at Mr. WhaIton's extensive
works al Camden, \. J The impor-
tant deposits Of nickel ore recently
found 10 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 due
tile and nalleable.
This metal is to be viewed as new
material, new gift 70 the industrial
arts, with sn unknown number of ap-
plications before il. Its most extern
sive use is in plating and in the manu-
facture of German SILVER. For coin
age, there has been large demand,
which is destined to be greatly increas-
ed as its advantages aud economy are
better understood Ii has varied in
price from 81 to S4 per pound in the
last twenty years. The price in Eng
land in 1888 was quoted in a memorial
TO Congress at seventy cents per ponnd.
In the shape for plating it commands
a much higher price. From 1876 to
1882, the price was on the average up
wards of $40 per pound for so large
contracts.
The production from the Gap mine
to 1883 il estimated ut about 100000
pounds If the mines in Nevada turn
out as expected, the importation of
nickel to this country will not be nee
essary, but it is highly 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 roy
alties received under its patent for
planting 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 $6,716,l29 in value. In the
German Empire the total nickel coin
age amounted il January 1877, to
about $9,Ss0,O0O, and in Belgium, in
1876, 10 6,598,Sd5 francs in value.
There is to be added. also, the amount
of one cents nickel coin in the United
States Great Britain ought to substi-
tute nickel for its clumsy pennies.
The refining of nickel and cobalt
was commenced in the United States
by Professor J c. Booth, Of Philadel-
phia, in 1876. Mr. Wharton has done
more than any one else TO promote tho
metallurgy of nickel in the United
States The treatment of it to secure
the best results is a matter of high de-
gree of skill, Expensive works for
rolling nickel have been recently erect.
ed at Camden, containing among other
machines, two trains of 40-inch rolls,
l8 inches in diameter, with annealing
rooms and their adjuncts, and 90-inch
horse power engine. The largest sheet
yet rolled al Camden was ~ inches
long and ~ inches wide, pure nickel.
Nickel is also welded upon iron and
upon steel plates. A great variety of
domestic utensils have been made ont
of pure nickel 1t is q noble metal in
its beauty aud in its durability and
freedom from rust and discooration. II
is proposed to make nickel boiler-plates.
Knives and razors will he made of it.
A more uniform and constant supply
OF this metal is demanded.
Its production will constitute pro-
titable industry, now that the probsbil-
ity of increased supply is afforded
by the discovery of the Nevada mines
Giants in Older Times,