Rio Tinto has started operations at a new commercial scale demonstration scandium plant to produce high-quality scandium oxide at its Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec in Canada.
The $6 million project, in which the Government of Quebec contributed approximately $650,000 through the Quebec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals, was completed on time and on budget, less than six months after the start of construction.
Six employees have been hired to operate the plant, which uses an innovative process developed by RTFT to extract high purity scandium oxide from the waste streams of titanium dioxide production, without the need for any additional mining.
Commissioning work is now being undertaken as production ramps up to a capacity of three tonnes of scandium oxide per year. RTFT is already considering the potential for further investments to add additional modules in line with market demand.
Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium managing director Stéphane Leblanc said it is the first plant to provide North American supply of scandium oxide for applications in solid oxide fuel cells, lasers, lighting products or as an additive to produce high-performance alloys.
“In less than two years, we have gone from testing a process to extract this critical material in a lab to being able to supply approximately 20 per cent of the global market.”
Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonatan Julien said the project will help strengthen the security of supply and add value to industrial waste from the mining sector. I
“It is also consistent with the government’s vision of creating wealth in a greener economy.”
The project is part of a series of innovations supported by Rio Tinto’s Critical Minerals and Technology Centre in the field of critical minerals and materials, including the recent launch of a water atomised steel powder for 3-D printing applications.
Rio Tinto is also well positioned to produce aluminium-scandium alloys to meet customers’ needs. In March, the company announced an agreement to provide a first batch of high-performance aluminium-scandium alloy from its North American operations to Amaero.