Nickel ingots are dense, silvery-white bars cast from refined nickel. The metal is hard and resistant to corrosion, but it is seldom worked alone. Smiths remelt small, measured portions with other metals to strengthen them, slow rusting and alter their colour.
Nickel is particularly useful in bronze and other hard-wearing alloys. It is also shaped into compass needles and magnets, while polished nickel may substitute for silver in inexpensive jewellery. An ingot is easy to stack, count and trade, although its pale surface can make it difficult for an inexperienced buyer to distinguish from cheaper pewter.