Scandium Canada (TSX-V:SCD) says its aluminium-scandium alloy subsidiary Scalium+ is advancing work to adapt its commercialised products for space applications, including next-generation Canadian satellites.
The work is being carried out under an existing contribution agreement signed last year between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Scalium+, then known as Ferreol Technologies.
According to Scandium Canada, the agreement provides a non-repayable contribution of C$348,750 ($351,166) towards a project running until 31 May 2028.
Following Scandium Canada’s acquisition and rebranding of Ferreol earlier this year, the CSA amended the agreement to formally confirm Scalium+ as the beneficiary of the project funding.
“The CSA’s confirmation of Scalium+ as beneficiary reflects the continuity we committed to when we first signed this agreement, and work continues without interruption,” Scalium+ CEO Félix Lapointe says.
The project — part of the CSA’s Space Technology Development Program (STDP) — aims to adapt Scalium®, an aluminium-scandium alloy currently produced in thin sheets, into thicker plates suitable for aerospace applications.
Following initial laboratory testing, the work program is focused on scaling up manufacturing, validating the alloy’s performance, and demonstrating its potential use in next-generation Canadian satellites.
According to Scandium Canada, Scalium® could help reduce launch costs and carbon emissions while allowing spacecraft to carry additional equipment.
The project adds to Scandium Canada’s efforts to commercialise Scalium® across different applications. The company recently announced the expanded commercial deployment of the alloy in the latest ski products launched by Ferreol Skis.
“Adapting Scalium® from thin sheet to thick plate is a defined technical program with clear milestones through 2028, carried out by our team in Québec, and it advances Scandium Canada’s mine-to-alloys strategy,” says Lapointe.
“Our ambition is for the Canadian and Québec OEMs designing the next generation of satellites and space systems to have access to a high-performance aluminium-scandium alloy sourced from a local supply chain,” Scandium Canada CEO and Scalium+ President Simon Thibault adds.
Scandium Canada is a critical minerals company developing North America’s only primary scandium source at its Crater Lake Project in Québec, Canada.
Write to Jackson Chen at Mining.com.au
Image: Canadian Space Agency
