Nickel forms many alloys which are used in hundreds of industries in many ways. It is one of the most useful metals known to man. But in early times, when chemists first tried to work with it, it gave them a great deal of trouble. In fact, the word nickel is derived from the German word for “imp!”

Nickel is found in meteorites, and it is sometimes found in the free state in small quantities. But the greatest supply of nickel is obtained from certain ores, especially one called pyrrhotite, which is a mineral containing iron, copper, and nickel. Canada is the greatest of all nickel-producing countries.