scandium

A soft, silvery-white metallic element that is found in various rare minerals and separated as a byproduct in the processing of certain uranium ores, and that is used in materials for high-efficiency lighting. An artificially produced radioactive isotope is used as a tracer in studies of oil wells and pipelines. Atomic number 21; atomic weight 44.956; melting point 1,541°C; boiling point 2,836°C; specific gravity 2.989 (25°C); valence 3. cross-reference: Periodic Table.

Chemical symbol, Sc; atomic weight, 44. An elementary body discovered by Nilson in 1879, by the help of the spectroscope, in the Scandinavian mineral euxenite.

A rare metallic element of the boron group, whose existence was predicted under the provisional name ekaboron by means of the periodic law, and subsequently discovered by spectrum analysis in certain rare Scandinavian minerals (euxenite and gadolinite). It has not yet been isolated. Symbol Sc. Atomic weight 44.

A metallic chemical element, atomic number 21, obtained from some uranium ores; it is a transition element.

a white trivalent metallic element; sometimes classified in the rare earth group; occurs in the Scandinavian mineral thortveitite