Scandium Recovery from the Nyngan Laterite Project in NSW

Abstract

Scandium is a metal with emerging uses in aluminium alloying, lighting and ceramic fuel cell applications. The current world supply is small at 15–20 tonnes per year and is largely serviced by scandium by-product recovery from production of other metals. In recent years, an increase in demand for scandium has been hampered by a lack of supply. This has driven the development of several projects where scandium production is a major focus. This paper outlines the development of scandium recovery from the Nyngan Project in New South Wales, Australia. The paper examines the issues surrounding scandium recovery from laterites and details the production process adopted by Scandium International Mining Corp for production of high purity scandium oxide. The process is based on high pressure acid leaching, scandium solvent extraction and scandium oxalate precipitation which is then calcined to scandium oxide. As the likely market for most of the product from Nyngan is the aluminium industry, the company’s research into production of aluminium-scandium master alloy is also discussed. The Nyngan scandium project is now in the detailed engineering phase and is likely to be the first primary supply of scandium in the world.