Nickel Processing and Architectural Metals

Architectural metals are metals fabricated into forms that most of us see nearly every day. Another common term that might make more sense to the ordinary person would be “decorative metal” or “ornamental metal”. As the term implies, architectural metal is used in construction to make things look pleasing and often serves a dual purpose: an aesthetic or decorative purpose, and a functional one.

One good example is decorative railing on stairs or on a balcony. On its own it may already look amazing and in many cases form part of an elegant architectural statement, but more importantly, it also keeps people from falling off and getting injured. Another sample would be how metal brackets, ducts, and fixtures are used to secure lights, plumbing, and air conditioning systems, but are also left exposed to give a store or business an “industrial” look – the choices of architectural metals in this case are made not just based on how they will work, but how they will look to customers as well.

Architectural metal such as stainless steel and nickel silver is often used for exterior elements because of its amazing resistance to the elements and tests have already shown that they can last for a hundred years or more, even in harsh environments.

Airports, restaurants, museums, stadiums, casinos, hotels, and modern office buildings—all these places usually have some form of decorative metal that stands out. Architectural metal differs from structural metal for what may be obvious reasons. Structural metal holds a building together. It is the skeleton, so to speak, that is used to keep the building upright, earthquake-proof and stabilized. Architectural metal, on the other hand, is more about looking good; although, most is still engineered to ensure it stays in place without failing from weight load, wind load, and other factors.

Although less common compared to elements such as copper and iron, nickel has been used for plating architectural details around the world. Nickel is most frequently used for building components in the form of alloys such as nickel silver, Monel metal, and stainless steel. Nickel silver was originally called “German Silver,” until World War I. It has been called “white brass” but more accurately should be termed “nickel brass,” because it generally contains 75% copper, 20% nickel, and 5% zinc.

In the alloy process, different percentages result in a range of colors, including silvery-white, yellow, slight blue, green or pink. Nickel silver hardware was popular in the US during the Art Deco and Depression Modern periods. Architects and designers preferred nickel silver because it could take and retain appropriate finishes, and it resisted corrosion.

Monel metal is an alloy of approximately two-thirds nickel and one-third copper. It is similar to platinum in color. Monel as an architectural metal pioneered many of the present uses of stainless steel. The first recorded architectural use of Monel was for roofing the Pennsylvania Railroad Terminal in New York City in 1909. In 1936, the copper roof on the New York City Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street was replaced with a Monel metal roof. Its advantages as a roofing material included its ability to be brazed, welded, or soldered in place to provide a watertight, continuous cover. Monel was popular during the Art Deco period of the 1920s-1930s. During World War II large quantities of nickel and copper were diverted into the war effort, and the supply of Monel was greatly reduced. Following the war, stainless steel and aluminum replaced Monel because of lower production costs.

Following its invention in 1913, nickel-based stainless steel rapidly became a popular choice in architecture, building and construction. Many structures using nickel-containing stainless steel have since become architectural design icons. Stainless steel has been the leading material for projecting progressive, modern architecture for more than eighty years. It is also popular for high-traffic public transit, security and other architectural applications where long-term durability is an essential consideration. The nickel-containing 300 series stainless steels are the most widely-used alloys in use for these applications. Early buildings used Type 302 (S30200) stainless steel, although today Type 304 (S30400) would be the readily-available equivalent. For construction nowadays, Type 316L (S31603) with its higher corrosion resistance, would be the preferred type, particularly in buildings likely to be exposed to seawater or road salt spray.

The success of the St Louis Gateway Arch in St Louis, USA in 1965 helped make nickel stainless steel the material of choice for monuments and memorials. The Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France in 1989 later inspired amazing glass and stainless steel curtain walls, while structural stainless steel is used in diverse applications including building framing, bridges, canopies, security barriers and street-lighting poles.

Architectural metal is a mainstay in the construction industry because of its appearance, functionality, and durability. Hallmark Mining Corporation is a Philippine-based nickel miner and producer, it is currently in development of a nickel processing facility to further supply the needs of a growing and dynamic market.

Source: macmetals.com, allmetalsfab.com, nickelinstitute.org