How did the name kupfernickel become associated with nickel ore?

The name kupfernickel originated with miners in Saxony who encountered an ore that resembled copper but failed to yield any metal when processed, producing only a useless slag. Because the ore was deceptive and frustrating to work with, the miners believed it was bewitched by subterranean imps or goblins, whom they referred to as "Old Nick".123

Consequently, they named the mineral kupfernickel, which translates to "Old Nick’s copper". This term, which is a reference to the deceptive copper-like appearance of the mineral now known as niccolite, eventually led to the isolation and naming of the chemical element nickel by Axel Fredrik Cronstedt in 1751.123