Uses and Facts

• About 65% of the nickel which is produced is used to manufacture stainless steels.
• Another 20% is used in other steel and non-ferrous alloys - often for highly specialized industrial, aerospace and military applications.
• About 9% is used in plating and 6% in other uses, including coins, electronics, and in batteries for portable equipment and hybrid cars. 
• In many of these applications listed above, there are no substitute for nickel without reducing performance or increasing cost.
• The major producers of Nickel are Australia, Russia, Cuba, Canada, Brazil, New Caledonia, South Africa, Indonesia and China.
• The average price of the nickel is US $ 32,000 per metric tones (Ref: www.infomine.com, dated 5th July 2007 to 5th August 2007). 

Occurrences in Guyana

• In Guyana, Nickel occurs primarily in the Kauremembu Blue Mountains, Northwest Mining District.
• A UN assessment of the area in 1960 indicated that an area of nickel laterite was discovered overlying narrow bands of ultramafic rocks.
• The nickel is largely associated with olivine minerals of the serpentinized peridotites in the area.
• Drilling of this area showed conclusively that though Ni grades were high, the area was too small for commercial exploitation.