Scandium

scandium

thortveitite

euxenite

gadolinite

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Symbol: Sc
Element, transition metal and rare earth element, does not occur naturally in the native state
Specific gravity: 3.0
Colour: Silvery white
Solubility: Scandium reacts with many acids
Melting point: 1540^oC
Boiling point: 2830^oC
Abundance in the Earth’s crust: 22 parts per million by mass, 10 parts per million by moles (ChC)
Abundance in the Solar System: 40 parts per billion by mass, 1 part per billion by moles (ChC)
When present in compounds, scandium exists usually in the trivalent state, Sc³⁺.
Thortveitite, euxenite-(Y) and gadolinite are the only known concentrated sources of the element (the chemical formulae for euxenite-(Y) and gadolinite, however, do not contain essential scandium).
Naturally occurring scandium consists of its one stable isotope, ⁴⁵Sc, although 13 other isotopes are known (ChC).

Scandium-bearing minerals are not many; only 19 valid species contain essential scandium; they include:

Oxides - the oxide anion is O^2-
heftetjernite
nioboheftetjernite
shakhdaraite-(Y)

Phosphates - the phosphate anion is (P⁵⁺O₄)^3-
juonniite
kolbeckite

Nesosilicates - insular (Si⁴⁺O₄)^4- groups
eringaite

Sorosilicates - (Si⁴⁺₂O₇)^6- groups
heflikite
kristiansenite
thortveitite

Inosilicates - single chain - (Si⁴⁺_nO_3n)^2n- groups
cascandite

Inosilicates - double chain - (Si⁴⁺_4nO_11n)^6n- groups
scandio-winchite

Cyclosilicates - (Si⁴⁺_nO_3n)^2n- groups
oftedalite

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