The synthesis of $Ni_5Si_2,;Ni_2Si$ and NiSi has been investigated by mechanical alloying (MA) of Ni-27.9at%Si, Ni-33.3at%Si and Ni-50.0at%Si powder mixtures. As-received and premilled elemental powders were subjected to MA. The as-received Ni powder was spherical and the mean particle size 48.8$mu$m, whereas the premilled Ni powder was flaky and the mean particle diameter and thickness were found to be 125 and 5$mu$m, respectively. The mean surface area of the premilled Mi powder particle was 3.5 times as large as that of the as-received Ni powder particle. The as-received Si powder was was 10.0$mu$m. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) reaction, followed by a slow reaction (a solid state diffusion), was observed to produce each Ni silicide during MA of the as-received elemental powders. In other word , the reactants and product coexisted for a long period of MA of time. Only SHS reaction was, however, observed to produce each Ni silicide during MA of the premilled elemental powders, indicating that each Ni sillicide formed rather abruptly at a short period of MA time. The mechanisms and reaction rates for the formation of the Ni silicides appeared to be influenced by the elemental powder particle size and shape as well as the heat of formation of the products $(Ni_5Si_2$longrightarrow-43.1kJ/mol.at., $Ni_2Si$$ ightarrow$-47.6kJ/mol.at.).