MOSCOW, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Russian aluminium producer Rusal RUAL.MM said on Thursday it is setting up a 1.5 tonne-a-year production facility for the rare-earth metal scandium, with the capacity to increase to 19 metric tonnes a year.

Investment in the project will amount to 500 million roubles ($5.73 million), the company said in a statement.

($1 = 87.2000 roubles)

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)