LME nickel jumps 5 pct on strike at BHP's mine

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Nickel rallied 5 percent on Thursday, lifted by a strike at BHP Billiton's (BLT.L) ferronickel mine in Colombia, traders and analysts said.

Nickel for three-months delivery MNI3 on the London Metal Exchange rose to $30,650 per tonne and was last at $30,500 by 1142 GMT, up from Wednesday's close of $29,200.

BHP Billiton said it had been notified of a strike at its Cerro Matoso ferronickel mining and smelting business, which produces 55,000 tonnes of ferronickel annually, after talks with a union over labour contracts failed.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Michael Roddy)