ELK CREEK CRITICAL MINERALS PROJECT
BUILDING U.S. DOMESTIC NIOBIUM SUPPLY
Chairman and CEO Mark Smith discussed NioCorp’s rapidly accelerating Elk Creek Project, markets for the critical minerals NioCorp intends to produce in the U.S., and the risks to the U.S. economy and Pentagon if access to Brazilian niobium is restricted, during an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business News.
A Unique Critical Minerals Company
The Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project
NioCorp is developing the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, North America’s only niobium / scandium / titanium project. See NioCorp Chairman and CEO Mark Smith describe this unique pure-play critical minerals project and some of the Company’s future vertical integration plans in this new video.
Progress at the Elk Creek Project
Strengthening U.S. CRITICAL Mineral Supply
NioCorp provided an investor update on the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, where pre-construction activities are underway. Hear directly from CEO Mark Smith and COO Scott Honan in the webinar replay here.
The Critical Minerals Mine America Needs Now
Critical Minerals at a Critical Time
NioCorp’s critical minerals are considered by defense experts to be among the MOST critical to America’s economic and national security.
A Shovel Ready Project with Permits Secured
NioCorp’s Elk Creek Project has already obtained all federal, state, and local government permits needed to move to a construction start.
Environmentally Smart Mine Design
Zero process water discharge. Groundwater protection. Reagent recycling. Tailings used as underground mine backfill. And much more.
Very Attractive Financial Returns
The Elk Creek Project’s Feasibility Study shows a $2.8 billion net present value, a 29.2% pre-tax internal rate of return, and $403 million in averaged annual EBITDA2 over a 38-year mine life.
Trading on the Nasdaq
NioCorp’s stock trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “NB“.
2nd Largest Indicated Rare Earth Resource
The Elk Creek Mineral Resource is the second largest rare earth resource in the U.S., according to USGS data and company reports.
Highly Experienced Management Team
NioCorp’s management team has decades of combined experience in developing, constructing, and operating mineral projects.
RECENT NEWS
NioCorp Announces Investor Update Call on August 17, 2015
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – August 10, 2015 – NioCorp...
Our Critical Minerals
NioCorp plans to produce some of the world’s most critical minerals, including Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium.
Niobium
NioCorp plans to make Ferroniobium, which is used as an additive to steel, making the steel much tougher, stronger, and more corrosion-resistent. Niobium-strengthened steel also allows for lighter-weight applications, reducing energy consumption and harmful air emissions.
Scandium
- Powerful alloy with Aluminum
- Lightweights vehicles / aircraft
- Demand limited by low production
- USA 100% dependent on imports
- NioCorp is 12% sold out
Scandium is a remarkable element with many uses, including as an additive to aluminum. It makes for alloys that are much stronger and corrosion-resistant than other aluminum alloys. Scandium also allows these alloys to be reliably welded, which opens up many applications in transportation and aerospace.
Titanium
- Large global markets
- Premium on high purity
- Critical to US defense
- US largely dependent on imports of mineral concentrate
Titanium is a highly sought-after refractory metals and is used across many industries, including industrial processes, aerospace and defense, medical applications industry, and many more. The U.S. is highly reliant upon foreign imports of this critical mineral, including (historically) from Russia and Ukraine.
FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS UNDERWAY
Magnetic Rare Earth Elements
NioCorp is also conducting technical and economic analyses on the potential addition to its planned product suite of several magnetic rare earth oxides, shown below, which are forecast to experience large supply shortages because of sharply rising demand.
NdPr Oxide
Neodymium-Praseodymium Oxide
Also known as “NdPr” or “Didymium Oxide,” this purified rare earth oxide is indispensable to the manufacturing of high-performance rare earth permanent magnets. These magnets are crucial to electric vehicles and other energy efficient applications.
Dysprosium Oxide
Dysprosium Oxide
Terbium Oxide
Terbium Oxide
Like Dysprosium, Terbium is “heavy” rare earth is used in a variety of electronic, automotive, and other applications, including high-performance rare earth permanent magnets. The Elk Creek Project contains the largest indicated Terbium Mineral Resource in the U.S.
American Mining the Right Way
NioCorp’s Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project was designed from the ground up with sustainability in mind. In addition to incorporating a range of environmental, recycling, and emissions reduction features, the Project is also fully aligned with the Equator Principles, which provides independent auditing and reporting mechanisms.
Zero process water discharge facility with mine water treatment
Avoidance of permanent impacts to Federally Jurisdictional Waters
Recycling of reagents
Groundwater protection with artificial ground freezing
Utilizing tailings as underground mine backfill
Local employment
Compelling financial returns
Elk Creek Feasibility Study
NioCorp’s June 2022 Elk Creek Feasibility Study provides a high level of detail on the Project, including its projected economic performance.
Information for Investors
A publicly traded mineral exploration company (Nasdaq: NB), NioCorp is currently developing the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in southeast Nebraska rich in Niobium,
Elk Creek Project: By The Numbers
The Elk Creek Project’s 2022 Feasibility Study projects relatively robust economic performance and financial returns to investors from the Project.
$2.82 Billion Pre-Tax NPV
%
29.2% Pre-Tax IRR
$2.35 Billion After-Tax NPV
%
27.6% After-Tax IRR
$397.5 Million Averaged EBITDA Over Mine Life
%
68% Averaged Annual EBITDA Margin over Run of Mine
%
$10.9 Billion After-Tax NPV Cumulative Net Free Cash Flow over Run of Mine
38 Year Mine Life
Putlitzer-Prize winning journalist from the New York Times, Dionne Searcey, recently investigated NioCorp’s proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Nebraska.
In addition to conducting numerous interviews, Ms. Searcey spent more than a week on the ground in southeast Nebraska talking with Nebraskans from all walks of life about how they viewed the Project.
Her story, published on the front page of the Times on February 2, 2023, can be seen here.