If you want to know the truth, FIB mill it and SEM, with or without microsection.  If you're going to microsection, you better use some excellent mounting material (slow cure epoxy).
Otherwise find some way to XRF, take the numbers and don't ask questions.
It is no mistake that the vast majority of 6012 immersion finish conformance is based strictly on "coverage and solderable".

As for structural integrity from Ni, definitely true.  Thickness is easily measured in microsection.

Chris

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