Nickel smelting. Molten ore being poured during the smelting of nickel. The most important nickel ores are pentlandite and pyrrhotite, which usually c

---

Nickel smelting. Molten ore being poured during the smelting of nickel. The most important nickel ores are pentlandite and pyrrhotite, which usually contain nickel sulphide mixed with impurities such as copper. The ore is smelted in a blast furnace to remove most of the impurities before being specially treated to separate the nickel and copper. Photographed in Norilsk, Russia, where sulphurous fumes from nickel smelting has led to widespread environmental damage.

---

Size: 3484px × 2412px
Photo credit: © THOMAS NILSEN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: industry, nickel, ore, smelting, technology