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Nickel: World Plant Production, By Country And Product

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TABLE 11
NICKEL:� WORLD PLANT PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY AND PRODUCT1, 2
(Metric tons of nickel content)
 
Country and product3   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006  
Australia:
Metal 120,800 115,800 112,400 r 112,600 r 105,100
Unspecified4 9,500 r 11,800 r 10,200 r 9,700 r 11,400  
Total 130,300 r 127,600 r 122,600 r 122,300 r 116,500
Austria, ferronickel and ferronickel molybdenume 1,500   1,500   1,500   1,500   1,500  
Brazil:5
Ferronickel 6,011 6,409 6,493 9,596 r 10,670 p
Metal 17,676   18,155   19,742   20,714 r 23,029 p
Total 23,687 24,564 26,235 30,310 r 33,699 p
Canada, unspecified6 144,476 124,418 151,518 139,683 153,743
China, metale, 7 52,400 64,700 75,800 95,100 r 112,000
Colombia, ferronickel 43,987 47,868 48,818 52,749 51,312 p
Cuba, oxide sinter and oxides8 38,738 r 42,282 r 38,824 r 39,121 r 39,100 e
Dominican Republic, ferronickel 23,303   27,227   29,477   28,668   29,700 e
Finland:9
Metal 49,151 45,417 40,088 34,709 r 42,299
Chemicals and unspecified 6,197 r 5,572 r 9,492 r 4,450 r 5,170
Total 55,348 r 50,989 r 49,580 r 39,159 r 47,469  
France:
Metal 9,444 9,138 10,103 10,684 11,700
Chemicalse 2,000   2,000   2,000   2,000   2,000  
Total10 11,444 11,138 12,103 12,684 13,700
Greece, ferronickel 19,229 18,000 18,115 19,235 17,740 p
Indonesia, ferronickel 8,804   8,933   7,945   7,338   14,474 p
Japan:
Ferronickel 74,418 74,804 r 73,655 r 76,390 r 66,058
Metal 32,303 34,991 32,769 29,794 r 29,254
Oxide sinter 48,950 52,700 r 60,300 r 56,700 r 57,400 e
Chemicals 1,820   2,084   2,082   2,208   2,531  
Total 157,491 164,579 r 168,806 r 165,092 r 155,243
Korea, Republic of, metal (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) e
Macedonia, ferronickel 5,149 5,555 5,300 8,100 10,900
Morocco, chemicals 109 126 130 130 e 125 e
New Caledonia, ferronickel 48,650 50,666 43,016 46,738 48,723
Norway, metal 68,530 77,183 71,410 84,886 81,974 p
Poland, chemicals12 744   785   820   800   800  
Russia:e
Ferronickel 13,200 r 13,900 r 14,400 r 13,400 r 16,000
Metal 239,000 260,000 261,000 266,000 270,000
Oxide sinter 6,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,500
Chemicals 2,000   2,500   3,000   3,000   3,500  
Total 260,000 r 281,000   283,000   287,000   295,000  
South Africa:
Metal 31,646 25,500 e 32,680 35,000 e 34,200 e
Chemicals13 6,900   15,342   7,170 e 7,400 r, e 7,600 e
Total 38,546 40,842 39,850 42,400 r, e 41,800 p
Taiwan, metal (11) (11) (11) (11) (11)
Ukraine, ferronickele, 14 6,000 -- 12,000 14,000 18,000
United Kingdom, metal 33,790 26,788 38,606 37,127 36,800
Venezuela, ferronickel 15,500   17,200   17,400   16,900 e 16,600 p
Zimbabwe, metal:e
Refined from domestic materials15 6,765 r, 16 9,500 r 9,700 r 7,500 r 5,510 p, 16
Toll refined from imported materials17 10,812 16 7,300 r 6,000 r 5,700 r 9,000
Total 17,577 r, 16 16,800 r 15,700 r 13,200 r 14,510 p, 16
See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 11�Continued
NICKEL:� WORLD PLANT PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY AND PRODUCT1, 2
(Metric tons of nickel content)
 
Country and product3   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006  
Grand total 1,210,000 r 1,230,000 r 1,280,000 r 1,300,000 r 1,350,000
Of which:
Ferronickel 266,000 r 272,000 r 278,000 r 295,000 r 302,000
Metal 672,000 r 694,000 r 710,000 r 740,000 r 761,000
Oxide sinter 93,700 r 100,000 r 104,000 r 101,000 r 102,000
Chemicals 19,800 r 28,400 r 24,700 r 20,000 r 21,700
Unspecified   154,000 r 136,000 r 162,000 r 149,000 r 165,000  
eEstimated. pPreliminary. rRevised. -- Zero.
1World totals and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2Table includes data available through August 3, 2007.
3In addition to the countries listed, North Korea is thought to have produced metallic nickel and/or ferronickel, but
�information is inadequate to make reliable estimates of output levels. Several countries produce nickel-containing matte,�
but output of nickel in such materials has been excluded from this table to avoid double counting. Countries producing�
matte for export are listed in table 12.
4Class II products with a nickel content of less than 99%. Includes oxides and oxide sinter. Excludes intermediate nickel-
cobalt sulfide matte, regulus, and speiss for further refining.
5Brazil produced nickel carbonate (an intermediate product), in metric tons: 2002�18,100; 2003�18,406; 2004�19,897;�
2005�21,116 (revised); and 2006�21,000.
6Nickel contained in products of smelters and refineries in forms, which are ready for use by consumers. Figures include��
the nickel content of nickel oxide sinter exported to the Republic of Korea and Taiwan. More information can be
found in footnote 11.
7In addition to metal, China produces a variety of nickel chemicals. Jinco Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. produces nickel�
chloride and nickel sulfate in Kunshan City, near Shanghai. The operation is a joint venture of Jike Mining Co. (35%)
and Vale Inco Limited (65%). Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co., Ltd. operates a mining, smelting, and refining complex at the
base of Jilin Chang Bai Mountain. The Jien complex produces about 29,000 metric tons per year of nickel salts on a�
gross weight basis. Jien's nickel chemicals include acetate, chloride, fluoride, hydroxide, and sulfate. In 2006, China also�
reportedly produced ferronickel and nickeliferous pig iron. Ore to make the pig iron was imported from�
Indonesia, New Caledonia, and the Philippines.
8Cuba also produces nickel sulfide, but because it is used as feed material elsewhere, it is not included to avoid double
�counting. Combined output of processed sulfide and ammoniacal liquor precipitate was, as follows, in metric tons of�
contained nickel: 2002�32,604 (revised); 2003�31,736; 2004�32,120 (revised); 2005�34,632 (revised);
2006�33,411 (preliminary). More information can be found in table 12.
9Part of the production is extracted from imported raw materials.
10Reported by Eramet for Sandouville. Excludes secondary production from spent rechargeable batteries.
11Nickel metal production for the Republic of Korea and Taiwan are not included because the production is derived wholly�
from imported metallurgical-grade oxides and to include them would result in double counting. Metal estimates are as�
follows, in metric tons: Republic of Korea: 2002�30,337; 2003�31,340; 2004�27,200; 2005�26,300; 2006�21,000�
(estimated). Taiwan: 2001�11,500; 2002�05�11,000; and 2006�11,000.
12Nickel content of nickel sulfate (NiSO4●6H2O). Most of the nickel sulfate was a byproduct of the concentrating, smelting,�
and refining of domestically mined copper ores. Some production, however, may have been derived from imported�
nickeliferous raw materials that were blended with the domestic copper concentrates.
13Includes nickel sulfate plus exported metal in concentrate.
14May include nickel in remelt alloys derived from scrap.
15Data represent production from domestic nickel ore.
16Reported figure.
17Previously published as "Other, metal." Data represent production from matte imported from Botswana as well as nickel�
sulfate imported from South Africa.

Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program

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