Scandium (Sc) is one of several important critical metals with increasing applications in modern industry. However, Sc is highly dispersed in nature and is rarely sufficiently concentrated to form Sc-dominated deposits. Therefore, finding new Sc resources is now urgently needed to ensure future sustainable supplies. We report, for the first time, the potential Sc resources in regolith developed over pyroxenites of the Jijie and Shuikoujing alkaline complexes of the Permian Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP), SW China. The weathering profiles are variable, but typically consist of soft pedolith in the upper part and solid saprolith in the lower part. Overall, the pedolith and saprolith in Jijie and Shuikoujing have average Sc grades of 83.2 ppm to 91.5 ppm and 57.4 ppm to 58.3 ppm, respectively, which are two- to five-fold those of fresh bedrocks. There are abundant pyroxene relicts in both the pedolith and saprolith. Scandium is mainly hosted in montmorillonite and goethite, which may be much easier and more suitable for mining than the bedrock. At the early stage of weathering, Sc concentrations correlate positively with the abundances of secondary montmorillonite. The highest Sc concentration coincides with the appearance of goethite which is the major host of Sc during the late stage of weathering. However, Sc is depleted in the transition zone between the saprolith and pedolith, which might be ascribed to the absence of both montmorillonite and/or goethite. Our preliminary study estimates -1,100 to -3,500 tonnes of Sc metal in the regolith developed above the two alkaline complexes. With the increasing market interest and improvements in recovery methods, these Sc resources in Jijie and Shuikoujing can be considered potentially important Sc deposits.

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