Rio Tinto reveals breakthrough scandium extraction from titanium dioxide production waste
May 29, 2020
Rio Tinto has revealed a new method to recover high-purity scandium oxide using waste from the production of titanium dioxide at its production facilities in Canada, reports Australian Mining.
Researchers at the Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) research and development centre reportedly developed the method last year, and have since been extracting high purity scandium oxide from by-products in the lab, with the process now being transferred to a larger Rio Tinto pilot plant.
According to Rio Tinto, security of supply issues and high cost of production have held back the scandium market for several years but this new method is said to pave the way for low production costs and minimal capital investment by producing a critical mineral from what was originally considered waste.
A combination of no direct costs from mining; recovery of scandium from by-products and independent operation from existing assets provides Rio Tinto with a valuable method of scandium oxide production.
The mineral is extracted from only a handful of mines globally in regions such as Asia and Russia. Production of high-performance aluminium-scandium master alloy using the scandium oxide from RTFT is also reportedly being trialled by Rio Tinto.
“This breakthrough on scandium is a great example of how we are looking at our operations across the world with fresh eyes to see how we can extract value from by-product streams,” stated Jean-Sébastien Jacques, Rio Tinto Chief Executive.
“Finding a way to extract a new product not only delivers more value from our orebodies, it helps to reduce waste. It’s a key part of operating in a more responsible way and providing the essential materials our world needs for a sustainable future.”
Jacques added, “Scandium, produced at an economic scale, is a critical mineral that has the potential to provide unique solutions to materials science challenges and drive progress in manufacturing.” He continued.
“This exciting breakthrough in processing technology leverages our existing mining operation to provide what can be a scalable, high-quality and low-cost source of scandium oxide to markets and manufacturers.”
