NICKEL While nickel is one of the elements of most common occurrence in the earth's crust, the commercially important ore deposits are confined to two localities, Canada and New Caledonia. Of these Canada is by far the more important, producing (1929) approx imately 90% of the world's nickel. While there are numerous other known nickel deposits, it is improbable that this percentage will be much affected for many years. The ore deposits are of two kinds: sulphide deposits, where the nickel occurs in conjunction with copper and sulphur; and silicate deposits, where the ore occurs as nickel silicate (generally as a double silicate of nickel and magnesium). The Canadian deposits are typical of the first type, those of New Caledonia of the second type. The known Canadian nickel deposits are located in Sudbury district, Ont., within an area m. long by 3o m. wide. While some 35 deposits of varying size and richness have been located since the original discovery in 1883, only a few of these mines are worked. Thus in 1939 The International Nickel Company was operating the Creighton, Frood, Garson, and Levack mines, and the Falconbridge Nickel Company the Falconbridge mine. On the basis of diamond drill ing and other exploratory work it is estimated that there is proven ore in sight of approximately 200,000,000 tons, containing over 7,000,000 tons of nickel. With a world consumption of approx imately ioo,000 tons of nickel per annum, this is equivalent to 70 years of proven ore.
The New Caledonia deposits, originally discovered in 1865, rapidly assumed primary importance, and from 1875 to 188o were the chief producers of the world's nickel. In 1905 the New Cale donia deposits were surpassed in production by the Canadian mines, which since that time have maintained their pre-eminence. The peak of New Caledonia production was reached in 1911. It is now a steady producer of about ro% of the world supply. Owing to the character of the New Caledonia deposits it is impossible to give any figures on ore resources, or potential production. It is known that there is still a large amount of ore on the island, and it is believed that New Caledonia will continue to produce nickel for many years. Besides these two localities deposits of nickel ore are known to exist at a number of places. In general these conform in type to one of the two classes mentioned above, but the size and character of the deposits, with the exception of those in Finland, render them non-commercial under present eco nomic conditions. The best known of these are deposits of the sulphide type ores, in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, and South Africa, and the silicate type ores in Celebes, Madagascar, Germany, and Greece. Nickel ores in the United States are com paratively unimportant. (J. F. TH.)