devil's copper

Nickel was discovered by Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, a Swedish chemist, in 1751. Cronstedt isolated the metal from a mineral called niccolite and named it "nickel" after the German word "kupfernickel," which means "devil's copper." Initially, nickel was considered a worthless material due to its resistance to corrosion and difficulty in smelting. However, over time, its useful properties and various applications, such as in alloys and plating, led to its recognition and industrial significance.