BACKGROUND Scandium is a chemical element with symbol Sc and atomic number 21.

A silvery-white metallic transition metal, it has historically been sometimes classified as a rare earth element, together with yttrium and the lanthanoids. It was discovered in 1879 by spectral analysis of the minerals euxenite and gadolinite from Scandinavia. Scandium is present in most of the deposits of rare earth and uranium compounds, but it is extracted from these ores in only a few mines worldwide. Because of the low availability and the difficulties in the preparation of metallic scandium, which was first done in 1937, it took until the 1970s before applications for scandium were developed. The positive effects of scandium on aluminium alloys were discovered in the 1970s, and its use in such alloys remains its only major application. The properties of scandium compounds are intermediate between those of aluminium and yttrium. A diagonal relationship exists between the behavior of magnesium and scandium, just as there is between beryllium and aluminium. In the chemical compounds of the elements shown as group 3, above, the predominant oxidation state is +3.

DISCUSSION
A. History

Scandium was discovered in 1876 by Lars Fredrik Nilson, in Uppsala, Sweden, through the study of the euxenite ore, although its existence had already been inferred by Dimitri Mendeleev in 1868, based in its Periodic Table of the Elements. It is not a rare element, being twice more abundant than boron. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain in a pure state, so its chemistry is not very well known. After its discovery, scandium was treated just as like a rare-earth, due to its common characteristics. However, the discovery of new physical and chemical properties, claimed different treatment for this element.

Metallic scandium was first prepared in 1937, by Fischer and collaborators, through the electrolysis of scandium chloride in a mixture of several melted salts. However, the obtained product still contained about 5% of sludge, mainly iron and silicon. B. Properties of Scandium Physical Properties Scandium metal is a silvery-white solid with a slight pink or yellow tint when exposed to air. It has a melting point of 1,538C (2,800F) and a boiling point of about 2,700C (4,900F). Its density is 2.99 grams per cubic centimeter. Scandium is a soft metal with a silvery appearance. It develops a slightly yellowish or pinkish cast when oxidized by air. It is susceptible to weathering and dissolves slowly in most dilute acids. It does not react with a 1:1 mixture of nitric acid (HNO3) and hydrofluoric acid (HF), possibly due to the formation of an impermeable passive layer.

 Chemical properties Reaction with water: When heated it will dissolve in water Scandium form ion solution consisting of Sc (III) and hydrogen gas 2Sc(s) + 6H2O(aq) 2Sc3+(aq) + 6OH-(aq) + 3H2(g)

Reaction With Oxygen In the combustion reaction with air or it will quickly form a scandium (III) oxide. 4Sc(s) + 3O2(g) 2Sc2O3(s)

Reaction With halogen Scandium is very reactive when it reacts with all elements of the halogen to form trihalida 2Sc(s) + 3F2(g) 2ScF3(s) 2Sc(s) + 3Cl2(g) 2ScCl3(s) 2Sc(s) + 3Br2(l) 2ScBr3(s) 2Sc(s) + 3I2(s) 2ScI3(s)

Reaction With Acid Scandium easily soluble in hydrochloric acid to form a solution containing ions of Sc (III) and hydrogen gas. 2Sc(s) + 6HCl(aq) 2Sc3+(aq) + 6Cl-(aq) + 3H2(g)

C. Occurrence Scandium can be found in the terrestrial crust in a concentration of about 5 ppm being as abundant as beryllium, or some rare-earths. In spite of this, it is quite dispersed, occurring in small concentrations in minerals as wolframite, wiikite and cassitherite, and can be detected in most of the soils. Scandium is chemically similar to the rare-earths but the sizes of its ions compete with those of aluminum, magnesium, hafnium and zirconium, so there are no great amounts of the element in the rare-earths ores.

In 1911, Schetelig, in Norway, discovered a new mineral, that he called tortveitite, contained the amazing amount of 30 to 40% of ScO2. This mineral was also found later, in Madagascar. The tortveitite occurs in very small amounts in the form of prismatic residual crystals resultant of pegmatite veins erosion as those of the Norwegian black uraninite. It is also possible to obtain scandium through the processing of uranium ores, which contain small concentrations of the element. D. Application There are relatively few commercial uses for scandium or its compounds. It is sometimes used to make alloys for special purposes. Scandium metal is lighter than most other metals. It is also resistant to corrosion (rusting) and has a high melting point. These properties make scandium alloys especially desirable for use in sporting equipment, such as baseball bats, lacrosse sticks, and bicycle frames. These alloys may also have some applications in the aerospace industry. These applications are not yet well developed, however, because of the high cost of the metal. Scandium alloys are also used in specialized lamps. The presence of scandium produces light that is very similar to that of natural sunlight. Scandium is one of the rare chemicals, that can be found in houses in equipment such as colour televisions, fluorescent lamps, energy-saving lamps and glasses. The use of scandium is still growing, due to the fact that it is suited to produce catalysers and to polish glass.

The main application by volume is in aluminium-scandium alloys for the aerospace industry and for sports equipment (bikes, baseball bats, etc.) which rely on high performance materials. It has been shown to reduce solidification cracking during the welding of high strength aluminium alloys.

E. Extraction Pure scandium metal can be made by reacting scandium fluoride (ScF3) with another active metal, such as calcium or zinc F. Production World production of scandium is in the order of 2 tonnes per year in the form of scandium oxide. The primary production is 400 kg while the rest is from stockpiles of Russia generated during the Cold War. In 2003, only three mines produced scandium: the uranium and iron mines in Zhovti Vody in Ukraine, the rare earth mines in Bayan Obo, China and the apatite mines in the Kola peninsula, Russia. In each case, scandium is a byproduct from the extraction of other elements and is sold as scandium oxide. The production of metallic scandium is in the order of 10 kg per year. The oxide is converted to scandium fluoride and reduced with metallic calcium. Madagascar and Iveland-Evje region in Norway have the only deposits of minerals with high scandium content, thortveitite (Sc,Y)2(Si2O7) and kolbeckite ScPO42H2O, but these are not being exploited. The absence of reliable, secure, stable and long term production has limited commercial applications of scandium. Despite this low level of use, scandium offers significant benefits. Particularly promising is the

strengthening of aluminium alloys with as little as 0.5% scandium. Scandiumstabilized zirconia enjoys a growing market demand for use as a high efficiency electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells.

G. Compound Substances Oxidation StateSubstances Sc(II) CsScCl3, Sc(III) Sc2O3, Sc(OH)63-, ScF3 , ScCl3 ,ScF6-3 etc. H. Scandium In The Environment

Scandium can rarely be found in nature, as it occurs in very small amounts. Scandium is usually found only in two different kinds of ores. Thortveitite is the primary source of scandium with uranium mill tailings byproducts also being an important source. World production amount to only 50 kg per year. There is no estimate of how much is potentially available. Scandium is only the 50th most abundant element on hearth, it is distributed widely, occurring in trace quantities in over 800 minerals. The blue color of the aquamarine variety of beryl is thought to be caused by scandium. Only about 3% of plants that were analysed for scandium shows its presence, and even those amounts were tiny, with vegetable having only 5 ppb although grass has 70 ppb. I. Health effects Scandium has no biological role. Only trace amounts reach the food chain, so the average person's daily intake is less than 0.1 microgram. Scadium is not toxic, although there have been suggestions that some of its compounds might be cancerogenic. Scandium is mostly dangerous in the working environment, due to the fact that damps and gasses can be inhaled with air. This can cause lung embolisms, especially during long-term exposure. Scandium can be a threat to the liver when it accumulates in the human body. As with the rare earth elements, little is known about the health effects of scandium. In such cases, the best policy is to handle the metal very carefully.

J. Effect of Scandium on The Environment Scandium is dumped in the environment in many different places, mainly by petrol-producing industries. It can also enter the environment when household equipment is thrown away. Scandium will gradually accumulate in soils and water soils and this will eventually lead to increasing concentrations in humans, animals and soil particles. With water animals scandium causes damage to cell membranes, which has several negative influences on reproduction and on the functions of the nervous system.

REFERENCE
Anonim, A. 2012. Scandium Substance. (http://www.mineralinfo.org/Substance/ Scandium/Sc.pdf ). Accessed at march 27. Anonim, B. 2012. Minerals Scandium. (http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/ commodity/scandium/mcs-2008-scand.pdf). Accessed at march 27. Anonim, C. 2012. Scandium. (http://nautilus.fis.uc.pt/st2.5/scenese/elem/e02120.html). Accessed at march 27. Putranto, Dody. 2009. Group III. (http://kimiadahsyat.blogspot.com/ 2009/06/golongan-iii-b.html). Accessed at April. Rank, J. 2012. Scandium Element.(http://www.chemistryexplained.com /elements/PT/Scandium.html#ixzz1rAb3TTRI). Accessed at march 27.

PAPER INORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

SCANDIUM

Created by:
Ahmad Rifaldi Djahir Hamdiana Baharuddin A 251 10 008 A 251 10 040

TADULAKO UNIVERSITY TEACHER TRAINING AND SCIENCE EDUCATION FACULTY 2012