China dominates global production and processing of several critical minerals, including scandium
Lockheed Martin has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with a US-based mineral development company to potentially purchase up to 15 tonnes of scandium oxide annually over the next 10 years, as the defence giant takes steps to diversify supplies of raw materials.
Under the agreement announced Tuesday, NioCorp would supply scandium produced at its proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Nebraska, either as scandium oxide, which is used to create high-strength, lightweight aluminium-scandium alloys for aerospace and defence, or aluminium-scandium alloys. The project is expected to produce about 100 tonnes of scandium oxide per year once financing is secured and construction is completed.
The memorandum expands on an existing collaboration between Lockheed Martin‘s Skunk Works division and NioCorp to develop scandium-based aluminium alloy components for modern fighter aircraft.
The programme is backed by a $10 million (€8.7 million) US government award under the Defence Production Act aimed at establishing the nation’s first domestic scandium mine-to-master-alloy supply chain.
