Method for producing aluminum-scandium alloy and reactor for implementing the method

A method for producing an aluminum-scandium ahoy having a scandium content of 0.41-4 wt. %, consisting of the following steps:

• (a) melting aluminum and a mixture of salts containing sodium, potassium and aluminum fluorides to form a mixture of molten aluminum and molten salt, wherein the molten salt contains sodium fluoride in an amount ranging from 1 up to and including 15 wt. %;
• (b) carrying out, while continuously supplying scandium oxide to the mixture of molten aluminum and molten salt, an aluminothermic reduction of scandium from its oxide and an electrolytic decomposition of alumina formed from this step (b) to form an aluminum-scandium alloy having a scandium content of 0.41-4 wt. %, wherein the concentration of scandium oxide in the molten salt is maintained in an amount ranging from 1 to 8 wt. %;
• (c) recovering at least a portion of aluminum-scandium alloy formed from steps (a)-(b);
• (d) adding aluminum to the mixture of molten aluminum and molten salt, without adding salts containing sodium, potassium and aluminum fluorides, and repeating steps (b)-(c) at least four times.