scandium, page-5

One problem with scandium is that it is such a widely dispersed metal. It has never been available in quantity at anything like a reasonable price and there has never been other than a very modest demand for the metal. It seems to have been locked into a vicious circle of low demand, low supply, high price.

There are potential applications for scandium that would increase demand but at what price? High cost quickly prices out applications that might potentially increase demand. Scandium/aluminium alloys are one example. Bicycle frames made from high tensile strength aluminium alloy need to compete against chrome moly at the lower price end and carbon fibre & titanium at the higher priced end. Scandium enjoys a bit of a gimmick market but I don't see much demand pushing for the high volumes a dedicated scandium producer might need to supply.

One possible alternative demand for scandium might be its use in high temperature ceramic fuel cells. If these products ever climb out of their present niche and into the general consumer market then there might be a brighter future for scandium as a commodity.

I haven't looked at the JRV aspect of all this. My gut feeling is that having a potential mine site for scandium might suit JRV's partner in a strategic sense but to me it looks like another JRV good idea going nowhere in a hurry.