The potential Miandetta mine has recently passed it’s feasibility study and company Scandium International is looking forward to completing the final stages to get the project off the ground.

A farm on the Gilgai Road in Miandetta will house the small-scale mine.

EMC Metal Corporation’s project development vice president, John Thompson spoke to the Bogan Shire Council at their June meeting about the development of the mine. 

“The feasibility study had excellent results, the capital cost should be $110 million (AUD) and we should mine 38 tonnes of scandium per year, but that’s quite modest,” he said.

Cr Elaine McLaughlin asked Mr Thompson what scandium is and how it will be used. 

“Although scandium is quite common it’s never concentrated (like Miandetta), they say Australia is the lucky country and we’ve done it again,” he said.

“Russia discovered it and started using in aluminium during the Cold War. It’s got uses in the automotive industry, Audi are using it in their technology. Until now it’s only been coming out of Russia or Asia and we were never sure what we exactly get. 

“We’ll produce something pure. The strength almost doubles when you add it aluminium.”

The current price for the material is $4000 to $5000 per kilogram, but Mr Thompson said the company already had a deal to sell it for $2000 per kilogram. 

Mr Thompson told the council Scandium International is hoping to start construction some time next year and produce scandium during 2018.

“People have already offered to buy the material. There’s quite a few eyes on us,” he said. 

“We’d like to think we make a good contribution to the town. We’ll have 70 people working there full time and 100 people during construction.” 

Mr Thompson likened the mining process to nickle or cobalt. Although the mine is significantly smaller.