Nickel is one of the most common elements on Earth, but it tends to favour difficult environments and extremely high temperatures. It’s found almost anywhere volcanic activity occurred in all of Earth’s history. This may be why the oldest metallic artefacts discovered with nickel in them were made more than 2,000 years ago.

Nickel in daily life

Most people interact with nickel every day through stainless steel. Nickel helps make this material resistant to corrosion, scratching, denting, and it does not react with foods that are highly acidic or alkaline. It’s also very safe, which makes it perfect for cookware and cutlery. Stainless steel a popular choice for kitchenware designers like the famous Danish designer Georg Jensen Leaf, whose stainless steel bowls are of the highest quality.

Stainless steel is also used in construction and aircrafts, and nickel is critical for rechargeable batteries, wind turbines, surgical equipment, mobile phones and water purifiers. Products that contain nickel have long life-spans and are highly recyclable.