Mcs2021 Nickel

NICKEL
(Data in metric tons of nickel content unless otherwise noted)
Domestic Production and Use: In 2020, the underground Eagle Mine in Michigan produced approximately
16,000 tons of nickel in concentrate, which was exported to smelters in Canada and overseas. A company in Missouri
recovered metals, including nickel, from mine tailings as part of the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative. Nickel in
crystalline sulfate was produced as a byproduct of smelting and refining platinum-group-metal ores mined in Montana.
In the United States, the leading uses for primary nickel are stainless and alloy steels, nonferrous alloys and
superalloys, electroplating, and other uses including catalysts and chemicals. Stainless and alloy steel and nickel-
containing alloys typically account for more than 85% of domestic consumption.
Salient Statistics—United States: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020e

Production:
Mine 24,100 22,100 17,600 13,500 16,000
Refinery, byproduct W W W W W
Imports:
Ores and concentrates (1) 64 3 4 120
Primary 111,000 150,000 144,000 119,000 110,000
Secondary 32,300 38,100 45,100 37,700 32,000
Exports:
Ores and concentrates 22,400 20,000 18,000 14,700 13,000
Primary 10,300 11,000 9,780 12,800 11,000
Secondary 63,700 51,500 59,400 51,100 34,000
Consumption:
Reported, primary metal 97,800 105,000 107,000 105,000 85,000
Reported, secondary, purchased scrap 131,000 133,000 123,000 111,000 100,000
Apparent, primary metal2 104,000 140,000 136,000 106,000 99,000
Apparent, total3 235,000 273,000 259,000 217,000 200,000
Price, average annual, London Metal Exchange (LME):
Cash, dollars per metric ton 9,594 10,403 13,114 13,903 14,000
Cash, dollars per pound 4.352 4.719 5.948 6.306 6.40
Stocks, yearend:
Consumer 15,100 14,600 16,300 13,400 13,000
LME U.S. warehouses 5,232 3,780 2,268 1,974 2,000
Net import reliance4 as a percentage of total
apparent consumption 44 51 52 49 50
Recycling: Nickel in alloyed form was recovered from the processing of nickel-containing waste, including flue dust,
grinding swarf, mill scale, and shot blast generated during the manufacturing of stainless steel; filter cakes, plating
solutions, spent catalysts, spent pickle liquor, sludges, and all types of spent nickel-containing batteries. Nickel-
containing alloys and stainless-steel scrap were also melted and used to produce new alloys and stainless steel. The
U.S. Department of Energy’s ReCell Center continued to investigate methods to more effectively recover raw
materials, including nickel, from recycled batteries. In 2020, recycled nickel in all forms accounted for approximately
50% of apparent consumption.
Import Sources (2016–19): Nickel contained in ferronickel, metal, oxides, and salt: Canada, 42%; Norway, 10%;
Finland, 9%; Russia, 8%; and other, 31%. Nickel-containing scrap, including nickel content of stainless-steel scrap:
Canada, 38%; Mexico, 27%; United Kingdom, 9%; and other, 26%.
Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade Relations

12–31–20
Nickel ores and concentrates, nickel content 2604.00.0040 Free.
Ferronickel 7202.60.0000 Free.
Unwrought nickel, not alloyed 7502.10.0000 Free.
Nickel waste and scrap 7503.00.0000 Free.
Nickel powders 7504.00.0010 Free.
Nickel flakes 7504.00.0050 Free.
Depletion Allowance: 22% (domestic), 14% (foreign).
Prepared by Michele E. McRae [(703) 648–7743, mmcrae@usgs.gov]

NICKEL
Government Stockpile:5 The U.S. Department of Energy is holding nickel ingot contaminated by low-level
radioactivity at Paducah, KY, and shredded nickel scrap at Oak Ridge, TN. Ongoing decommissioning activities at
former nuclear defense sites were expected to generate additional nickel in scrap. See the Lithium chapter for
statistics on lithium-nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide.
FY 2020 FY 2021
Inventory Potential Potential Potential Potential
Material as of 9–30–20 acquisitions disposals acquisitions disposals
Nickel alloys, gross weight 609 — 272 — —
Events, Trends, and Issues: Domestic reported consumption of primary nickel decreased by an estimated 20% in
2020, owing primarily to reduced demand related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 70% of the
decrease was attributed to reduced consumption of nickel alloys, primarily those used in the aviation and oil and gas
sectors. Domestic production of stainless steel and related nickel consumption decreased substantially in the first half
of 2020, but most of the leading domestic stainless-steel producers reported relatively robust recovery in the third
quarter. Total domestic production of stainless steel in 2020 was estimated to have decreased by approximately 10%.
Globally, nickel mine production was estimated to have decreased by 5%. Although stainless-steel production in most
leading producing countries and (or) localities decreased, these were mostly offset by a rapid recovery in China’s
production of nickel-bearing stainless-steel grades after the first quarter, and the continued rampup of nickel pig iron
and stainless-steel projects in Indonesia.
World Mine Production and Reserves: Reserves for Brazil, Canada, and the United States were revised based on
new information from company and (or) Government reports
Mine production Reserves6

2019 2020e
United States 13,500 16,000 100,000
Australia 159,000 170,000 720,000,000
Brazil 60,600 73,000 16,000,000

Canada 181,000 150,000 2,800,000
China 120,000 120,000 2,800,000
Cuba 49,200 49,000 5,500,000
Dominican Republic 56,900 47,000 NA
Indonesia 853,000 760,000 21,000,000
New Caledonia8 208,000 200,000 NA
Philippines 323,000 320,000 4,800,000
Russia 279,000 280,000 6,900,000
Other countries 310,000 290,000 14,000,000
World total (rounded) 2,610,000 2,500,000 94,000,000
World Resources:6 Identified land-based resources averaging approximately 0.5% nickel or greater contain at least
300 million tons of nickel, with about 60% in laterites and 40% in sulfide deposits. Extensive nickel resources also are
found in manganese crusts and nodules on the ocean floor.
Substitutes: Low-nickel, duplex, or ultrahigh-chromium stainless steels have been substituted for austenitic grades in
construction. Nickel-free specialty steels are sometimes used in place of stainless steel in the power-generating and
petrochemical industries. Titanium alloys can substitute for nickel metal or nickel-base alloys in corrosive chemical
environments. Lithium-ion batteries may be used instead of nickel metal hydride batteries in certain applications.
e
Estimated. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data. — Zero.
1
Less than ½ unit.
2
Defined as primary imports – primary exports + adjustments for industry stock changes, excluding secondary consumer stocks.
3
Defined as apparent primary metal consumption + reported secondary consumption.
4
Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for consumer stock changes.
5
See Appendix B for definitions.
6
See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources.
7
For Australia, Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant reserves were 6.2 million tons.
8
Overseas Territory of France.
U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2021

Mcs2021 Nickel

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mcs2021 Nickel

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mcs2021 Nickel

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

NICKEL

(Data in metric tons of nickel content unless otherwise noted)

Salient Statistics—United States: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020e

Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade Relations

Depletion Allowance: 22% (domestic), 14% (foreign).

Prepared by Michele E. McRae [(703) 648–7743, mmcrae@usgs.gov]

Mine production Reserves6

Brazil 60,600 73,000 16,000,000

U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2021

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.