(Yicai Global) March 10 -- Global commodity markets have seen sharp swings in nickel prices this week. From March 7 to 8, futures prices soared about 250 percent on the London Metal Exchange. So what does the metal actually look like?

Before last month’s Chinese New Year holiday, Yicai Global visited Jinchuan Group in China’s northwest Gansu province to explore the country’s largest nickel and cobalt production base with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons of nickel.

Molten nickel.

Nickel in solid form.

A mine park converted from an old open pit, which was the largest in China 60 years ago.

Inside Jinchuan’s automated electrolytic nickel production workshop.

Inside Jinchuan’s nickel warehouse.

Editor: Peter Thomas