Etching composition for etching nickel screen rolls or plates

An etching composition for nickel screen rolls or plates which comprises 5 - 15% by volume of 62% HNO.sub.3 and 15 - 25% by volume of 35% hydrogen peroxide and 3 - 6% by volume of additives and a balance of water;

• said additives comprising 40 - 60% by volume of a petroleum hydrocarbon solvent which is incompatible with water, 15 - 25% by volume of sulfate salt of glyceride of fatty acid consisting essentially of 18 carbon atoms, sulfate salt of fatty acid consisting essentially of 18 carbon atoms, or sulfate salt of fatty alcohol consisting essentially of 18 carbon atoms, 4 - 6% by volume of a first etching promoter selected from the group consisting of dialkyl sulfosuccinate salt, sulfonate salt of C.sub.10 - C.sub.12 petroleum hydrocarbon, sulfonate salt or sulfate salt of C.sub.10 - C.sub.12 fatty acid, and sulfonate salt or sulfate salt of C.sub.10 - C.sub.12 fatty alcohol and 20 - 30% by volume of a second etching promoter selected from the group consisting of butyl carbitol, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, a mixture thereof and a block copolymer thereof.