Scandium is a metal in Group IIIB and the 4th period. It is the first of the transition metal series. Other members of the group are yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La) and actinium (Ac).

The element was discovered by Nilson in 1879 in the minerals euxenite and gadolinite, which had not yet been found anywhere except in Scandinavia. By processing 10 kg of euxenite and other residues of rare earth minerals, Nilson was able to prepare about 2 g of scandium oxide of high purity. Cleve later pointed out that Nilson's scandium was identical with Mendeléev's eka-boron.

The element was named to honor Scandinavia and the symbol Sc is an abbreviation of the name.

On the basis of the Periodic System, Mendeléev predicted the existence of eka-boron, which would have an atomic weight between 40 of calcium and 48 of titanium.

Scandium is a silvery white metal that develops a slightly yellowish or pinkish cast upon exposure to air. It is relatively soft, and is reported to resemble yttrium and the rare earth metals more than it resembles aluminum or titanium. It is a very light metal and has a higher melting point than aluminum, making it of interest to designers of space missiles. In the solid state the metal has a heksagoninė glaustai supakuota struktūra.

Scandium is widely distributed on earth, occurring in very minute quantities in over 800 mineral species. The blue color of beryl (aquamarine variety) is said to be due to scandium. It occurs as a principal component in the rare mineral thortveitite, found in Scandinavia and Madagascar. It is also found in the residues remaining after the extraction of tungsten from wolframite and other minerals. Most scandium is currently being recovered as a by-product of the extraction of uranium from davidite.

Metallic scandium was first prepared in 1938 by Fischer, Brunger, and Grieneisen, who electrolyzed a eutectic melt of potassium, lithium, and scandium chlorides at 700-800°C. Tungsten wire and a pool of molten zinc served as the electrodes in a graphite crucible.

electrolysis
2 ScCl₃(k) 2 Sc(k) + 3 Cl₃(d)

Methods of producing the metal are now somewhat more complicated. The production of the first pound of 99% pure scandium metal was announced in 1960. Scandium is becoming more readily available and it is reported that many pounds of the metal have now been prepared.

Samples of the pure metal cost more than those of any other element. It is found, presumably as Sc₂O₃, in a catalyst used to make acetone, an organic solvent (CH₃-CO-CH₃).