Colorado-based NioCorp Developments Ltd. recently announced that a solvent extraction pilot plant for the recovery of scandium has been successfully completed. The pilot plant is a key component of the metallurgical development and design program that will lead to the completion of the Elk Creek Superalloy Materials Feasibility Study.
Between April 18 and 22, 2016, a continuous solvent extraction pilot was operated at the SGSLakefield metallurgical testing facility in Lakefield, Ontario. The pilot plant treated approximately 1,000 liters of scandium-bearing solution derived from the Elk Creek resource. Preliminary results show that scandium extraction was measured between 95.3% and 99.4% during the five-day pilot run.
Niocorp plans to produce 97 tonnes/year of scandium trioxide from its Elk Creek Superalloy Materials facility once the facility is up to full-scale production.