The New Student's Reference Work/Nickel

Nick′el, a malleable, ductile and tenacious grayish-white metal, was discovered by Cronsted in 1751, but was long before that time used in alloys by the Chinese.  Yet previous to 1879 it, being difficult of fusing, was only used as an alloy in German silver.  In that year Fleitmann discovered that mixed with ⅛ of one per cent. of magnesium it could be easily rolled and drawn.  The metal does not readily alter by exposure, but it easily dissolves in nitric acid.  It is now used as an alloy with copper and zinc in German silver and is largely used for plating articles of iron and steel.  In some alloys it is used for coins.  It is also extensively used in steel for armor plates, cannon etc.  The ore, in different forms, is found in Canada, Norway, Germany, Hungary, France and the United States.