It can be said that it is a gift from heaven, since in meteorites we can find it together with iron, it is of a bright whitish silver color, hard strength, resistant to oxidation. Although they only remember it in Sweden, it was the Swedish Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, who discovered it in 1751, when trying to purify another mineral, he came across this substance; Kupfernickel, which is its name in German and refers to false copper, with its symbolic Ni atom numbered 28, we find it at number 10 of the periodic table and of magnetic properties.
In the year 1700 it is mentioned that in the East it was already used, although not being sure of this fact since it can be easily confused by the color with silver. It is highly toxic, exposure to these vapors and directly said nickel causes allergies and more serious cases such as lung cancer, nose cancer and milder symptoms such as dizziness or vomiting and the strongest when exposed in pregnancy can cause spontaneous abortions or defects at birth.
Although it is found in a variety of foods and in everyday utensils, from lipstick to a car key and very commonly in the coins we use, the adsorption in these quantities is very low for humans. Medically speaking, in recommended doses, it helps maintain blood pressure and helps the adsorption of calcium in the bones, among other benefits; The recommended milligrams ranges from children in doses of 0.2 mg to adults in doses of 1 mg per day. It is recommended for greater benefit to take it with vitamins, such as vitamin E.
It is said that it is Canada that produces 70% of the world's consumption, following in the footsteps of Cuba and Russia; although other studies mention that the United States is one of the main Nickel deposits. Its main production is stainless steel, which is obtained from the fusion of iron and nickel, in addition to kitchen utensils, high precision surgical instruments, also in strings for electric guitars, and among others, added to glass as a liquid substance, gives it a dark greenish appearance.
