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Date: 08/28/01 at 2:36 AM
Posted by: Jostein Røyset
E-mail: Jostein.Royset@hydro.com

In Reply to: What is the size of the scandium market? posted by Mike Fewster on 08/28/01 at 1:35 AM:

Mike:
The market for Sc is very small, but increasing.
I don't know the tonnage that is sold per year, but it would surprise me if it is more than a few metric tons per year.

There is some demand for Sc for various types of metallurgical, physics and chemical research.
Commercially, it seems that the use is mainly for
* addition in metal halide light bulbs, to make the light resemble sunlight
* addition in Aluminum alloys, to improve the materials properties

Approx. 15 different commercial Al-alloys with Sc have been developed in Russia.
Some of them are used for aerospace applications, but I don't know to what extent.

In the western world, it seems that Al-alloys with Sc is mainly used for sports equipment
(baseball bats, bicycle frames etc)

I know that Sc-containing alloys are beeing / have been evaluated fore use in structural parts in airplanes in Europe and in the Americas.
However, I don't know the outcome of the evaluations, or whether the alloys are beeing / will be used.

Take a look at the USGS Scandium information page for more info.
(Don't pay attention to the quoted prices of Sc metal, though. You can get it much (3-10 times) cheaper)

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/scandium/

Jostein

Follow Ups:

  Al-Sc alloys,product forms,sources & cost venkitakrishnan   Posted at: 07/24/02 (0)

  Re: What is the size of the scandium market? Tim Worstall   Posted at: 08/28/01 (1)

  Marketeting a large amount of scandium Mike Fewster   Posted at: 09/19/01 (0)

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