Spectrophotometric determination of scandium using xylenol orange with prior concentration and separation from interfering elements by precipitation with oxalic acid

The influence of some parameters (pH, salt concentration) on scandium precipitation with oxalic acid in the presence of calcium oxalate as collector has been examined. Scandium precipitates quantitatively as an oxalate at pH 0.8-1.2 in 0.5-1.0 M NH/sub 4/NO/sub 3/. A spectrophotometric method is proposed for determining scandium with Xylenol Orange combined with preseparation from interfering elements by successive precipitation with inositolhexaphosphoric acid and oxalic acid. The method was applied for scandium determination in samples of complex compositions.