Scandium Canada completes a 500kg metallurgical pilot test for its Crater Lake scandium project

• Achieves 99.5% Purity Scandium Oxide  
• 99.2% Purity Rare Earths Oxide 
• Overall Sc recovery from ore to final product to a very good 77.3% 
• Increases annual output to 91 tpy scandium oxide 

May 13, 2025 (Source) — Scandium Canada Ltd. (the “Company” or “Scandium Canada”) (TSX VENTURE: SCD) is pleased to confirm that it has completed a campaign for the optimization of its mineral processing and hydrometallurgical flowsheet for scandium and rare earths recovery from the Crater Lake project at SGS Canada Inc. in Lakefield, Ontario. The results of these tests will be used to prepare a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for the Crater Lake Project located in northeastern Québec.

The current process leads to a 99.5% purity for the scandium oxide precipitate, which is the primary commercial product from the Crater Lake Project, and to a 99.2% purity for the rare earth oxides, which are the secondary output from the Crater Lake Project. This is the first instance of achieving reportable purity levels of the oxides from the Company’s flowsheet. The purity of scandium oxide is well within acceptable limits for its use in Aluminum-Scandium alloys, which Scandium Canada targets as the main end-use of scandium oxide.

Dr. Peter Kondos, Ph.D., FAusIMM, Scandium Canada’s Technical Advisor mentioned; “The hydrometallurgical optimization has performed exceptionally well, with a high scandium recovery of 93.3%, bringing the overall Scandium recovery from ore to final product to 77.3%, which is a remarkable performance in this field.”

This optimization campaign used a 500 kg ore sample from a 15-ton bulk sample extracted from Crater Lake. A press release on February 29, 2024 (Scandium Canada Updates on the Optimization of its Mineral Processing Flowsheet) announced an interim progress report. The data reported previously about mineral processing is now integrated into the overall flowsheet. Our results confirm a significant reduction in concentrate to be transported by trucks and processed at our hydrometallurgical site, reducing capital and operating costs. The current flowsheet leads to the production of 91 tonnes per year of Scandium oxide vs 87 tonnes per year (PEA results), while transporting and processing 27,000 fewer tonnes of concentrate.

Scandium Canada’s CEO, Guy Bourassa, said: “I am excited that we improved results of our metallurgical processes. This data will serve as the basis for the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) required for advancing the development of the TG zone of the Crater Lake Project. The PFS will determine the impact on the operating and capital costs associated with our optimized flowsheets. We already determined that, compared to our 2022 PEA, we are reducing by about 27,000t/year the concentrate to be transported from the mine and processed in the hydrometallurgical plant, resulting in an important operating cost reduction, while increasing scandium oxide output.”

The current work aimed at improving the flowsheet reported in the Company’s 2022 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) (Imperial Mining Files Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report for The Crater Lake Project On SEDAR). Our focus was to confirm bench-scale test results and improve the recovery of the payable metals (scandium and rare earths) while reducing capital and operating costs. The table below summarizes some of the high points of the results.

The scientific and technical content concerning metallurgy and processing contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Peter Kondos, Ph.D., FAusIMM, Scandium Canada’s Technical Advisor, Metallurgical Processing, a Metallurgist and a “Qualified Person” as defined by NI 43-101.

This work was supported and made possible by a $500,000 grant from Le Consortium de recherche et d’innovation en transformation métallique (CRITM), which is one of the nine industrial research sector groups (RSRIs) in Québec. CRITM is funded by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests of Québec. It is a network dedicated to industrial research and offers companies strategic support and financial assistance to carry out their research projects.

ABOUT SCANDIUM CANADA LTD.

Scandium Canada (TSX-V: SCD) is a public company whose ultimate goal is to bring the world’s leading primary source of scandium into production, enabling the development and commercialization of aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) alloys. The Corporation is leveraging its Al-Sc alloy development division and the development of its Crater Lake mining project to meet the growing need for lighter, greener, longer-lasting, high-performance materials. The Corporation aims to become a market leader in scandium, while committing itself to building a more responsible economy through innovation and agility.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release including, but not limited to, the results from the metallurgical 500kg test, and, generally, the above “About Scandium Canada Ltd.” paragraph which essentially described the Corporation’s outlook, constitute “forward-looking information” or “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumption that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. These estimates and assumption may prove to be incorrect. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements and future events, could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Corporation’s disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s endeavors to develop the Crater Lake project, and, more generally, its expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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