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Scandium (Sc)

Atomic Number: 21 • Group: LREE

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21
44.956
Sc
Scandium
LREE

Primary Uses

High-performance aluminum alloys (Aerospace), Solid oxide fuel cells

Scarcity & Economic Profile

Crustal Abundance

16-22 ppm

Primary Economic Driver

Aerospace alloys & fuel cells

Geological Scarcity

LowMediumHighExtremeTotal

Supply Risk

N/ALowMediumHighExtreme

Primary Mining Countries

ChinaPhilippinesRussiaAustralia

Primary Processing Countries

ChinaRussiaJapan

Sources - Crustal Abundance

  1. Rudnick, R. L., & Gao, S. (2003). Composition of the Continental Crust. Treatise on Geochemistry, 3, 1-64.
  2. Taylor, S. R., & McLennan, S. M. (1985). The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution. Blackwell Scientific Publications.
  3. Wedepohl, K. H. (1995). The composition of the continental crust. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 59(7), 1217-1232.
  4. U.S. Geological Survey. (2026). Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. U.S. Department of the Interior.

Short Description

Scandium is a strategic metal used to strengthen aluminum alloys for aerospace applications, significantly improving mechanical properties and heat resistance. Its addition to aluminum creates ultra-lightweight, high-strength materials for aircraft frames and sports equipment.

Found In

Found In Ore Types

Bauxite Residue / Red MudScandiferous LateriteZircon / HREE

Mining Projects

Projects targeting ore types that contain Sc.

Nyngan Scandium Project
Scandium International Mining CorpAustralia
DevelopmentStage 2/4
Dubbo Project
Australian Strategic MaterialsAustralia
DevelopmentStage 2/4
RUSAL Achinsk Sc from Red Mud
UC RUSALRussia
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