Supra Elemental Recovery Wins DoD Contract to Advance High-Purity Scandium Recovery

Highlights

• Supra Elemental Recovery secured a U.S. Defense Logistics Agency Phase I SBIR contract to validate its scandium separation technology.
• The Austin-based UT spinout uses proprietary 3D-printed cartridges and supramolecular chemistry to extract scandium and gallium from mine tailings, industrial waste, and e-waste.
• The U.S. had zero commercial scandium recovery in 2025 and remained 100% import reliant, making domestic supply development a strategic priority.
• USGS pegged 99.99% scandium oxide at roughly $640/kg in 2025, with aerospace alloys and solid-oxide fuel cells as key demand drivers.
• Phase I tests feasibility only; contract value is undisclosed and commercial economics have not yet been independently demonstrated.