Australian Mines (ASX:AUZ) decided to expand the scoping study for its Flemington scandium-nickel-cobalt project in New South Wales to include updated metallurgical, processing, and environmental studies, according to a Monday Australian bourse filing.

The expanded work program is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter, and this will underpin an updated scoping study.

The decision came in the wake of export restrictions on rare earth elements implemented by China, which includes scandium. China currently accounts for around 67% of global primary scandium feed stocks and refines around 90% of the scandium supply.