Niccolite or nickeline is a mineral consisting of nickelarsenide, NiAs, containing 43.9% nickel and 56.1% arsenic.
Small quantities of sulfur, iron and cobalt are usually present, and sometimes the arsenic is largely replaced by antimony. Forms an isomorphous series with breithauptite (nickel antimonide).
The names niccolite (J. D. Dana, 1868) and nickeline (F. S. Beudant, 1832) refer to the presence of nickel (Lat. niccolum). Owing to its copper-red color the mineral is commonly called "copper-nickel," the German equivalent of which, Kupfernickel, was used as early as 1694.
Nickeline's structure is fairly simple with the nickel ions, in hexagonal packing, forming stacked identical layers parallel to the major six-fold axis.
The arsenic ions rest between the nickel ion layers, but in a staggered or alternating sequence such that the next layer is not in the same position as the previous layer.
Nickeline is not exactly a common mineral, but is found with other nickel and cobalt sulfide ores and thus it is included with them when mined for their various ores.
It occurs in the uncombined condition and alloyed with iron in meteorites; as sulphide in millerite and nickel blende, as arsenide in niccolite and cloanthite, and frequently in combination with arsenic and antimony in the form of complex sulphides.
Nickel is used for the manufacture of domestic utensils, for crucibles, coinage, plating, and for the preparation of various alloys, such as German silver, nickel steels such as invar (nickel, 35.
Nickel sesquioxide, N1203, is formed when the nitrate is decomposed by heat at the lowest possible temperature, by a similar decomposition of the chlorate, or by fusing the chloride with potassium chlorate.
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