Sulfide matte is refined by the Sherritt-Gordon ammonia leach or the Mond process, in which Ni + 4 CO → Ni(CO)4 gas at ~50 °C, then decomposes back to pure Ni on hot pellets. Laterite ore is processed by high-pressure acid leach or by direct ferronickel smelting.
Research Elements Ni · atomic number 28 Transition metal · period 4, group 10 [Ar] 3d8 4s2 Shells: 2, 8, 16, 2 Valence electrons: 2 in the outer shell (4s2), and 8 in 3d8 Green dots are the outer shell's s and p electrons. Softer green dots are the d electrons of transition metals, and the d and f electrons of lanthanides and actinides: they often take part in bonding, but not always. Grey dots are the core. Ground-state configuration from the NIST Atomic Spectra Database (A. Kramida, Yu. Ralchenko, J. Reader and the NIST ASD Team). Abundance is the mole fraction of the element found as that isotope on Earth; digits in parentheses are the uncertainty in the last digits. Masses and abundances from NIST, Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions (J. S. Coursey, D. J. Schwab, J. J. Tsai and R. A. Dragoset, National Institute of Standards and Technology).Nickel
Electrons
How it's obtained
Natural isotopes
Isotope Relative atomic mass Abundance 58Ni 57.93534241(52) 0.68077(19) 60Ni 59.93078588(52) 0.26223(15) 61Ni 60.93105557(52) 0.011399(13) 62Ni 61.92834537(55) 0.036346(40) 64Ni 63.92796682(58) 0.009255(19)