: Lower-purity products (less than 99.8% nickel). Common forms include ferronickel and nickel pig iron , which are primarily used in the production of stainless steel.
: Manufacturers often buy pre-alloyed materials like Nickel Silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy) or superalloys like Inconel for their high-temperature stability and corrosion resistance. These can be purchased as sheets, rods, or wires cut to size. 2. Buying Nickel as an Investment buy nickel
: Traded on exchanges like the London Metal Exchange (LME) , futures allow buyers to hedge against price volatility or speculate on global demand. : Lower-purity products (less than 99
For collectors, "buying nickel" refers to United States five-cent pieces or other world coinage: Indonesia's Export Ban of Nickel - USITC These can be purchased as sheets, rods, or wires cut to size
Industrial buyers typically purchase nickel based on its purity and form, which are categorized into two main classes:
: Some funds track a basket of base metals or specific mining indices, offering a more diversified way to invest in nickel. 3. Buying Nickels for Collections (Numismatics)
: High-purity products (99.8% nickel or above). These include electrolytic cathodes , pellets , briquettes , and powders . It is the preferred form for specialized alloys and high-end battery production.