Native nickel is an extremely rare element in nature, most commonly found as terrestrial grains in ultramafic rocks or within iron-nickel meteorites. It appears as a silvery-white metallic mineral that is often associated with serpentine group minerals. Because it is highly susceptible to oxidation, pure native specimens are prized by collectors and researchers alike.
Is this nickel?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch nickel with a known reference. Nickel sits at Mohs 4.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: grayish white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray white, silvery white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: granular, massive.
Often confused with
Nickel vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside nickel
Minerals reported to co-occur with nickel. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ni
- Mohs hardness
- 4.5
- Density
- 8.90 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Grayish white
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Granular, massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Industrial, Scientific
- Host rock
- In serpentinized ultramafic rocks as a result of low-temperature hydrothermal activity
Where rockhounds find nickel
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Bogota, near Canala, New Caledonia (type locality)
- Jerry River, in placers derived from the Red Hills Range, southern Westland, New Zealand
- Mount Clifford and Cutmore, near Agnew, Western Australia, and the Nairne pyrite deposit, South Australia
- Kaltenberg, Turtmauntal, Valais, Switzerland
- Kauniinvaara ultramafic lens, near Lake Kauniinlampi, eastern Finland
- Grasshopper Mountain, Tulameen, British Columbia, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In serpentinized ultramafic rocks as a result of low-temperature hydrothermal activity. If you start seeing heazlewoodite, pyrite, pyrrhotite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Nevada, Tennessee. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find nickel on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
