Scandium: Criticality

Why by-product supply makes scandium critical for Europe

What this tab covers How exposed economies are to a supply disruption: the EU, US and India listings, the concentration score, and a quantified exposure for the US, EU, India, China, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East and Australia. Where the EU scored it, a chart of supply risk against economic importance, with import reliance, recycling input and substitutes.

Exposure by region

Region	Exposure	Share of world output	Share of world imports	Share of world exports	Net trade (US$)	On own critical list	Position
US	n/a	–	–	–	–	Yes	Has no scandium mining and is 100% import reliant, importing about 4 t of oxide in 2025e, while the DLA plans to stockpile more than 6,000 kg (USGS 2026).
EU	n/a	–	–	–	–	Yes	Lists scandium as critical (EU CRM 2023), is 100% import reliant with 0% recycling, and sources mainly via the UK (85% of EU imports in the CRM sourcing table).
India	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Has no scandium production and imports small amounts with other rare earths, mostly from China (IBM 2022).
China	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Is the leading producer and added scandium to export controls in April 2025 (USGS 2026).
Japan	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Refines scandium oxide from Philippine HPAL feedstock and supplied 89% of US oxide imports in 2021-24 (USGS 2026).
Latin America	n/a	–	–	–	–	no list	No scandium production is reported (USGS 2026).
Middle East	n/a	–	–	–	–	no list	No scandium production is reported (USGS 2026).
Australia	n/a	–	–	–	–	Yes	Holds about 34,000 t Sc of accessible Economic Demonstrated Resources and granted a mining licence for the Nyngan project in October 2025, but had no production in 2025 (USGS 2026).

Exposure rating: High when the region is a net importer whose import share is at least three times its share of world output (or, for farm goods, it produces under 70% of what it consumes); Medium for other net importers (or 70-95% self-sufficiency), raised to High when world supply is highly concentrated in another country; Low for net exporters or self-sufficient regions. Net importer status uses tonnage where reported, otherwise value. Output: n/a. Trade: UN Comtrade (EU = sum of member states, including intra-EU trade). Critical lists: US 2025, EU 2024/1252, India 2023, China 2016 strategic minerals, Japan METI, Australia 2024.

Scandium is critical for the EU, with supply risk 2.4, economic importance 3.7 and 100% import reliance, and it is on the US 2025 list. India's 2023 list omits it. About 95% of supply is a by-product of titanium, uranium or nickel. Nassar and co-authors list scandium among 18 metals at greatest risk of supply restriction, combining concentration, by-product status and no recycling (pdf p. 4). Titanium alloys, other aluminium alloys or carbon fibre can replace it in some uses, but not all.

EU 2023 Critical US 2025 list Yes India 2023 list No

EU 2023 assessment

Chart: EU 2023 criticality: supply risk against economic importance

Each dot is a material assessed by the EU in 2023. The shaded corner is the critical zone (supply risk ≥ 1.0, economic importance ≥ 2.8). Scandium: supply risk 2.4, economic importance 3.7. EU import reliance, processing 100% EU recycling input rate 0% US net import reliance, 2025 100% share of apparent consumption

Substitutes

Titanium and aluminium high-strength alloys or carbon fibre in some applications; none where scandium's unique properties are needed