Sunrise Energy Metals has announced approval of the final investment decision (FID) to develop the Syerston Scandium Project, near Fifield in central-west of New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
This move positions the company to begin commercial production of high-purity scandium oxide by the second half of 2028 (H2 2028), with plans to ramp up to 60t per year.
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Sunrise said the project will process 64,000t of ore annually to produce scandium oxide with a purity greater than 99.9%.
The mine is forecast to operate for 32 years, with the first 21 years involving active mining and the remaining 11 years relying on stockpiled ore.
According to the company, the project aims to help address ongoing supply challenges faced by western economies following the imposition of Chinese critical minerals export controls in 2025.
With demand for scandium projected to grow in sectors such as solid oxide fuel cells, aerospace, defence, and advanced semiconductors, Sunrise is targeting an increasingly important market for critical minerals outside China.
Mining will involve conventional open pit methods, while extraction will use hydrometallurgical leaching and refining to achieve high purity standards.
The board stated that recent progress in technical, engineering, procurement, and permitting activities underpins the start of construction works and supports its production schedule.
Sunrise is also considering expanding production capacity in response to global demand, though decisions on timing and scale remain pending and dependent on customer agreements, engineering outcomes, and board approval.
Financing for the project includes a conditional commitment of up to $400m in long-term debt from the US Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital.
Sunrise chairman Robert Friedland said: “Scandium has long been recognised for its exceptional properties and potential across a range of advanced technologies, but its adoption has been constrained by the absence of reliable, scalable supply.
“Syerston has the potential to fundamentally change that dynamic by delivering a secure, long-term and primary source of highpurity scandium to global markets.”
