When you hear the word nickel, you may think of mining activities that take place in regions far removed from our everyday lives. While nickel mining can indeed take place on remote islands or in distant areas, the uses of nickel are actually much closer to our daily lives than you might realize. From household appliances and construction to battery technology, nickel is used in a wide range of products that we encounter and use every day.
In this article, we will explore five uses of nickel, including some applications you may not have realized.
What Is Nickel?
Nickel is a metallic chemical element that is widely used as an alloy with other materials. Its resistance to corrosion and high temperatures makes nickel suitable for a wide range of applications.
In nature, nickel can be found in forms such as soil containing nickel ore. In Indonesia, the nickel that is mined generally comes from laterite nickel ore. Before it can be used, the ore must undergo processing to produce products that meet industrial requirements.
Why Is Nickel Widely Used?
One reason nickel is widely used is its ability to help provide certain properties to materials when alloyed with other metals. As a result, the uses of nickel can be found across a wide range of sectors, from stainless steel and industrial applications to energy and technology.
5 Uses of Nickel in Everyday Life and Industry
So, what are the uses of nickel in everyday life and industry? Here are some examples.
1. Everyday Household Products
One of the most common uses of nickel in everyday life can be found in stainless steel. In these alloys, nickel helps improve the material's resistance to corrosion.
Kitchen equipment, tableware, and various household items are examples of products that can be made using stainless steel.
2. Industry and Infrastructure
The benefits of nickel can also be found in various metal alloys used for industrial applications. Its resistance to corrosion and high temperatures makes nickel useful in sectors such as transportation, energy, manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure.
One example is vehicle engine components, such as engine valves, which may use nickel-based alloys because they require resistance to high temperatures and corrosion.
In the automotive industry, nickel can also be used in plating processes for certain vehicle components. Wheels, grilles, and bumpers are examples of components that may use nickel plating to help improve corrosion resistance while providing a better surface finish.
Beyond the automotive sector, nickel is also used in various construction, energy, and manufacturing applications where materials with specific durability properties are required.
3. Technology
Advances in technology have further expanded the use of nickel. Nickel can be part of materials or components that require resistance to certain environmental conditions and temperatures.
Its applications can be found in various technological devices and components that require durable materials capable of performing under specific operating conditions.
4. Energy and Batteries
One of the increasingly recognized uses of nickel is in battery technology. In some cases, nickel is one of the components used in the cathode of lithium-ion batteries, together with other materials such as NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) and NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum).
The nickel-containing battery technologies mentioned above are used together with advanced electric motor technologies. It is important to note that not all batteries used in electric vehicles contain nickel. For example, lithium iron phosphate batteries have cathodes that do not contain nickel.
5. Healthcare and Other Industrial Applications
Nickel is also used in the healthcare sector. Some medical equipment and instruments, including equipment used in surgical procedures, can be made from stainless steel or metal alloys containing nickel. These materials are used in part because they offer corrosion resistance, durability, and the ability to withstand repeated sterilization processes.
Beyond healthcare, nickel is also used in various other industrial products and components. For example, nickel can be used as a coating material for bolts, fasteners, and certain vehicle components to help improve resistance to corrosion and heat.
Other applications can be found in components that operate at high temperatures, such as engine exhaust valves. Certain nickel-based alloys are used because they can maintain their strength and resistance to heat and corrosion under such operating conditions.
So, when asking what nickel is used for, its applications can be found in many products that are relatively close to our everyday lives—from household equipment to vehicle components and various industrial applications.
Nickel Processing on Obi Island
Before it can be used, nickel ore needs to undergo processing. One of Indonesia's nickel mining and integrated processing regions is located on Obi Island, North Maluku.
In this area, Harita Nickel carries out integrated and sustainable nickel mining and processing activities. Saprolite and limonite ores are processed using different methods. Saprolite is processed using RKEF (Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace) to produce ferronickel, while limonite is processed through HPAL (High Pressure Acid Leaching) to produce MHP (Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate).
MHP can then be further processed into Nickel Sulfate and Cobalt Sulfate, which are used in the production of cathode materials for nickel-based lithium-ion batteries. This process demonstrates how mining activities on Obi Island can be connected to industrial needs through downstream processing.
Nickel and Its Diverse Uses
From everyday household products to battery technology, the uses of nickel are more diverse than you might realize. Its utilization does not end with mining, but continues through processing and downstream development.
One example can be seen on Obi Island, where integrated nickel mining and processing activities form part of a broader industrial supply chain.