(German Nickel, Satan or Old Nick's and from kupfernickel, Old Nick's copper) Cronstedtdiscovered nickel in 1751 in kupfernickel (niccolite).

Nickel is found as a constitutent in most meteorites and often serves as one of thecriteria for distinguishing a meteorite from other minerals. Iron meteorites, or siderites, may contain ironalloyed with from 5 percent to nearly 20 percent nickel. Nickel is obtained commerciallyfrom pentlandite and pyrrhotite of the Sudbury region of Ontario, a district that producesabout 30 percent of the world's supply of nicke.

Other deposits are found in New Caledonia, Australia, Cuba, Indonesia, and elsewhere.