12 Interesting Facts about Scandium: Transition Metal Atomic Element Number 21

1 One might guess from the name that this transition metal is tagged after the place from where it was first isolated – Uppsala in the Scandinavian province of Sweden. A complex mineral compound provided scientist Lars Fredrik Nielson the opportunity to isolate Scandium in 1879.

2 But it was Dmitri Mendeleev who first worked out ten years before Nilson had, that Scandium existed. His periodic table had a gap between calcium – atomic number 20, and titanium – atomic 22. He even gave this theoretical element a name: eka-boron Scandium provided the missing piece with an atomic number 21.

Pure Scandium from Ore

3 Scandium Facts

Atomic number: 21

Atomic weight: 44. 955912

State: grey-white metal

Category: transition metal

Melting point:  1,541°C (2,806°F)

Boiling point:  2,836°C (5,136°F)

Scandium Uses

4 Scandium ore is rarer than gold on this earth and only a few kilograms of this grey transition metal is mined per year, which is why it is expensive to buy.

5 On first impressions, scandium seems rather feeble. On exposure to air, this greyish metal develops a pinkish-yellow tinge due to oxidization and is susceptible to weathering. Only a dilute acid is needed to dissolve scandium in fluid.

6 One may wonder why bother mining for such a rare substance, an unremarkable grey stuff at that, but when added in the small amount of 0.1% to aluminium, it will produce a remarkably strong alloy with a very high melting point.

7 Scandium’s strength-giving properties have proven invaluable in aircraft and sports cars. Being resistant to high impact, is also used in crash helmets, bicycle frames, golf club shafts and firearms.

What is Scandium?

Scandium Symbol

8 Scandium’s ores are paltry, being making scandium the fiftieth most abundant element on earth, but is quite plentiful in our solar system. It has been detected within our sun via spectrometry, as well as other stars in our galaxy.

9 Scandium is added to gas-vapour lamps that glow when an electric charge is applied. The lamp’s extra luminescence replicates sunlight and natural daylight, useful for the film industry and for SAD lamps. Scandium oxide is used for high intensity lights, such as stadium lights.

10 In low doses, scandium is added to the soil to boost germination of wheat.

Scandium Oxide

11 Scandium can be found in hundreds of mineral compounds, including beryl, thortveitite and euxenite but rarely in pure form. For this reason, it is difficult to extract. However, uranium plants produce scandium as a waste product and are able to sell it as scandium oxide.

12 Dental laser technology involves the use of scandium via YSGG which stands for yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet. When applied as a laser jet, aims to minimise patient anxiety and discomfort whilst the dentist is preparing the tooth for treatment.  This dispenses with the use of the hated drill.