
Unsporting scandium (2014) - apsec112
https://www.nature.com/articles/nchem.2090
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scythe
In the time since this article was published some major scandium deposits were
discovered in Australia:

[https://aluminiuminsider.com/aluminium-scandium-alloys-
futur...](https://aluminiuminsider.com/aluminium-scandium-alloys-future/)

It seems like scandium is to aluminium what molybdenum is to iron: able to
dramatically improve qualities at minuscule alloy fractions.

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kristianp
Here's another project in Australia that promises to produce scandium. I doubt
any of them will actually be built into a producing mine, though.

[https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/222183/...](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/222183/australian-
mines-cobalt-and-scandium-assays-indicate-potential-for-flemington-resource-
boost-222183.html)

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foobarian
> Adding 0.5% scandium to aluminium greatly increases the metal's strength
> while maintaining its light weight, as well as raising its melting point by
> 800 °C so that, unlike ordinary aluminium, it can be welded.

Wait, what? That has got to be a typo. That would more than double the Al
melting point of 655 C.

~~~
apsec112
It's not a typo, but you need much more than 0.5%. Here's a phase diagram:

[http://www.arc.nucapt.northwestern.edu/refbase/files/Royset-...](http://www.arc.nucapt.northwestern.edu/refbase/files/Royset-2005.pdf)

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mkj
Surely all metals would be unsporting in a cricket bat, not just scandium.

