• Standard state: solid at 298 K
• Colour: lustrous, metallic, silvery tinge
• Classification: Metallic

Nickel is available in many forms including cathodes, cut cathodes, briquettes, pellets, shots, granules, foil, powder, flakes, sheet, wire, mesh, spheres, "evaporation slugs", and rods.

Nickel is found as a constituent in most meteorites and often serves as one of the criteria for distinguishing a meteorite from other minerals. Iron meteorites, or siderites, may contain iron alloyed with from 5 to nearly 20% nickel. The USA 5-cent coin (whose nickname is "nickel") contains just 25% nickel. Nickel is a silvery white metal that takes on a high polish. It is hard, malleable, ductile, somewhat ferromagnetic, and a fair conductor of heat and electricity.

Nickel carbonyl, [Ni(CO)4], is an extremely toxic gas and exposure should not exceed 0.007 mg M -3 .