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Highlights
- Flemington holds high-grade scandium deposits.
- Rio Tinto focuses on several scandium projects in NSW.
- Australian Mines advancing scandium production potential.
The Flemington scandium project in New South Wales is drawing fresh attention due to rising global demand for scandium and growing concerns over China’s control of critical mineral supply chains. With a resource estimate of 2.7 million tonnes grading at 403 parts per million (ppm) scandium, Flemington stands out as one of the highest-grade scandium deposits in the world. While the project had previously been paused after a scoping study in 2017, the increasing demand for scandium has renewed interest in developing this site.
Scandium is a vital component in high-performance alloys, particularly for aerospace applications, and its importance has only grown as global industries seek more reliable, non-Chinese sources of supply. Flemington's exceptionally high-grade scandium resource, measured at a 300ppm cut-off, puts it in a competitive position against other significant deposits globally.
Mining giant Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) is also focused on scandium production in New South Wales, with its Burra project, formerly known as Owendale. Burra was estimated in 2017 to hold a resource of 33.7 million tonnes grading 395ppm scandium, making it one of the world’s highest-grade primary scandium oxide resources. Additionally, Rio Tinto's other projects, such as Melrose and Murga North, are contributing to the region’s growing prominence in the scandium sector. Melrose holds a resource of 3 million tonnes at 240ppm scandium, while Murga North holds 21 million tonnes at 125ppm, both measured at different cut-off grades.
The potential for Australian scandium production to become a global supply chain alternative is becoming clearer, with companies like Australian Mines (ASX:AUZ) and Rimfire also working in the same region. The renewed push for Australian scandium production, fueled by these significant resources and favorable market conditions, positions New South Wales as a key player in the global scandium market.
Flemington's promising resource has the potential to shape Australia's role in the critical minerals space, especially as global industries increasingly seek to diversify their supply chains away from China.
