Nickel

**Symbol:** Ni **Atomic number:** 28 **International name:** Nickel **Relative Atomic Weight:** 58.693 **Description:** Nickel is a silver-colored, malleable metal that is toxic in certain forms. It possesses ferromagnetic properties, exhibiting spontaneous magnetization. **Applications:** Nickel is used in the production of alloys, such as stainless steel, and for the plating of other metals to protect their surfaces from corrosion. **Occurrence:** Nickel is relatively abundant in the Earth's crust, and large quantities are found in the Earth's core. Some of the most important minerals containing nickel are pentlandite ((Ni, Fe)₉S₈) and nickel sulfide (NiS). **Structure:** Nickel crystallizes in a cubic system with a face-centered cubic lattice structure.