[SIS7] Powder Design for Industrial Application

[16C-SIS7-05] Sustainable Scandium Production from Metallurgical Residues for Securing Al-Sc-Mg Powder Manufacturing for 3D Printing

H. van der Laan¹, *B. Orberger², Y. Baria³, A. Kladis⁴, P. Feydi⁵, C. Dittrich⁶, E. Balomenos⁷, B. Yagmurlu⁸, M. Medved⁹, F. Palm¹0 (1.Van der Laan International Consultancy B.V., Netherlands, 2.Géosciences Conseils-CATURA Geoprojects, France, 3.RWTH Aachen University Germany, 4.ADMIRIS, Greece, 5.ORANO Mining-CIME, France, 6.MEAB Chemie Technik GmbH, Germany, 7.Mytilineos, Greece, 8.Technische Universität Clausthal, Germany, 9.Kronos International, Germany, Inc., 10.Airbus Defense and Space GmbH, Germany)

Keywords:Scandium, 3D printing, aeronautic, Titanium oxide production by-products, Bauxite residues

Al-Sc-Mg powders are increasingly used as 3D printing material. Its particular property mixture of light weight, high ductility, very good corrosion resistance and high strength makes it ideal for aeronautical, aerospace, automotive, motorsports, defense, and robotics applications. Scandium, a strategic metal in Europe and U.S.A, is essentially supplied by China. Europe needs its first and own Sc production for anticipating supply risks and generating new markets. Scandium & Scandium compounds can be produced from residual streams from Titanium dioxide and Alumina production which are continuously and abundantly available in Europe and are currently not processed for Sc or other valuable metals. ScaVanger Cooperative, a European Start-Up, proposes an industrial symbiosis process to extract Sc compounds from these streams. This is a major advantage to provide raw materials for high-quality Al-Sc products at competitive prices. Moreover, Sc recycling from end-of-life Al-Sc-Mg powder through hydrometallurgy was proven and will close the loop.