Scandium

Scandium, with the chemical symbol Sc, is a rare transition metal credited to the discovery by Swedish chemist Lars Fredrik Nilson in 1879. It was initially found in the mineral thortveitite.

Despite its scarcity on Earth, scandium ranks as the 23rd most abundant element in the Earth's crust. It is often found as a byproduct during the extraction of aluminum oxide from bauxite. However, obtaining pure scandium remains a challenging task.

Scandium finds application in the aerospace industry, where its strength and lightness contribute to the manufacturing of aircraft components, particularly in aluminum-scandium alloys. These alloys have the potential to enhance aircraft performance.

Future applications could emerge in the nuclear industry and electronics. Scandium is being researched for its rare properties in the development of high-performance capacitors and other electronic components.