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Exciting times ahead IMO. Will 2024 be it? Lots of potential for good news.
FY24 DoE budget signed 3/9 ✔️
Mark's presentation at SAFE Summit 3/12
FY24 DoD budget hopefully? by 3/22
EXIM questions close 5/6
EXIM decision hopefully? by 6/30
FS funding and completion?
MSP assistance?
Stellantis and/or others onboard?
Shovels in?
IBC?
We wait and see!
Can NB get some of this from DoE?
On Saturday, March 9, 2024, the President signed into law:
H.R. 4366, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,”
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/legislation/2024/03/09/press-release-bill-signed-h-r-4366
FOSSIL ENERGY AND CARBON MANAGEMENT
For Department of Energy expenses necessary in carrying out fossil energy and carbon management research and development activities, under the authority of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition of interest, including defeasible and equitable interests in any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition or expansion, and for conducting inquiries, technological investigations and research concerning the extraction, processing, use, and disposal of mineral substances without objectionable social and environmental costs (30 U.S.C. 3, 1602, and 1603), $865,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount $70,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.
https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr4366/BILLS-118hr4366eah.pdf
30 U.S.C. 3, § 1602. Congressional declaration of policies
It is the continuing policy of the United States to promote an adequate and stable supply of materials necessary to maintain national security, economic well-being and industrial production with appropriate attention to a long-term balance between resource production, energy use, a healthy environment, natural resources conservation, and social needs. Implementation of this policy requires that the President shall, through the Executive Office of the President, coordinate the responsible departments and agencies to, among other measures—
(1) identify materials needs and assist in the pursuit of measures that would assure the availability of materials critical to commerce,
the economy, and national security;
(2) establish a mechanism for the coordination and evaluation of Federal materials programs, including those involving research and development so as to complement related efforts by the private sector as well as other domestic and international agencies and organizations;
(3) establish an analytical and forecasting capability for identifying critical mineral demand, supply, and other factors to allow informed actions to be taken to avoid supply shortages, mitigate price volatility, and prepare for demand growth and other market shifts;
(4) promote a vigorous, comprehensive, and coordinated program of materials research and development consistent with the policies and priorities set forth in the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.);
(5) promote cooperative research and development programs with other nations for the equitable and frugal use of materials and energy;
(6) promote and encourage private enterprise in the development of economically sound and stable domestic materials industries;
(7) facilitate the availability, development, and environmentally responsible production of domestic resources to meet national material or critical mineral needs;
(8) avoid duplication of effort, prevent unnecessary paperwork, and minimize delays in the administration of applicable laws (including regulations) and the issuance of permits and authorizations necessary to explore for, develop, and produce critical minerals and to construct critical mineral manufacturing facilities in accordance with applicable environmental and land management laws;
(9) strengthen—
(A) educational and research capabilities at not lower than the secondary school level; and
(B) workforce training for exploration and development of critical minerals and critical mineral manufacturing;
(10) bolster international cooperation through technology transfer, information sharing, and other means;
(11) promote the efficient production, use, and recycling of critical minerals;
(12) develop alternatives to critical minerals; and
(13) establish contingencies for the production of, or access to, critical minerals for which viable sources do not exist within the United States.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2022-title30/pdf/USCODE-2022-title30-chap28-sec1602.pdf
If you view the MSP possibilities in the light most favorable to NB, based on facts, NB could potentially be in the running as 1 or more of the 23 projects, with 11 possibilities in two regions, the Americas and Europe. If you notice, they listed a total of 30 projects, not 23, so maybe some overlap in there? NB has possible exposure on upstream, midstream, and even recycling/recovery, through their collaboration with Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology and NioCorp Technologies Ltd. Those seem like decent odds that something clicks. Let's hope so.
Currently, of 23 projects globally, 6 are "in the Americas." I have no idea which ones. Maybe not a candidate for State Department money here in the U.S., but NB seems to fit the bill for potentially being the recipient of assistance finding additional financing and offtakes (in support of exports?) within the group. They don't identify what projects they are looking at and it's unknown whether any of them are domestic projects. I'm just throwing more dots up on the wall, whether they all connect remains to be seen. Do your own due diligence.
Under Secretary Jose Fernandez Discusses U.S. Critical Minerals Strategy for Clean Energy Transition
7,363 views Mar 6, 2024 #JoseFernandez #CriticalMinerals #PDAC2024
Mostly talks about international investment, 5 core minerals, and pursuing ESG, but some insights into financing and starting up projects. I like the part at 6:00 where he talks about having a couple projects in their back pocket that they think they might be able to announce pretty quickly. Fingers crossed! 23 projects in the pipeline.
I didn't take it as an insult. I took it as you missing my "agenda" by a country mile. My only agenda is, as you said, "submitting DD to this MB." This board doesn't make me money and I pay no attention to post counts. I find the daily flood of articles and information about this fascinating and extraordinarily encouraging. I don't ever recall seeing such intense and sustained global focus, from all sectors, on a daily basis, on exactly what this project is about, coupled with the absolute imperative that we MUST move quickly, in unison, on all fronts, to combat this need.
I think the opportunity to get in at these record low levels is a gift with the potential for short and long term wins. We should know something soon. I've been wrong before.
1200 posts in 13 years on 12 boards - you caught me! I've been trying to become an iHub influencer for over a decade. Damn, I was hoping no one would figure it out!
You’re a juvenile.
10 years ago was a different time. Two years ago was a different time, but you can’t see that. As of 1/2024, according to the ASM, the cost was still 1.2, unless you have other numbers? The government has many available pots of cash, but you either don’t read or can’t understand what you read. Which is it? Don’t answer, I don’t care. Go back and review the posts without your own confirmation bias and you may learn something.
I have no issues with anything the company has said since I’ve been here.
First thing you learn as a PR person is not to confirm anything unless you know it to be fact. We don’t know if they know whether the new FS is necessary and neither do you. Guess we’ll find out soon what that answer is. I’ve posted multiple funding mechanisms for an FS, so there are potential opportunities once a budget is passed and my guess is it’s more about updating the old one than starting from scratch. There’s also plenty of info out there about how the Chinese have been manipulating prices causing global difficulties in financing for these types of projects.
I didn’t get into the markets to fall in love with companies and invest for life, I came here to have fun and make money. Sorry if you made poor decisions. It’s not my land, I don’t live in Nebraska, and I’m not looking for work. To be clear, you’re the last person I would ever consider taking investment advice from, but thanks for offering.
As far as creaming goes, the only one doing that is you, with your insatiable desire that the company, the project and the current investors, who you believe to be beneath you, fail. Good to see you have an enough life left in you to be able scream from the highest mountain that you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about and you just like to hear yourself. 🤡 While you may have had relevance once, you no longer have value here. Feel free to continue to spew in a vacuum. No one is listening.
Thanks for playing, Sport. Fade into your darkness, it’s the only place that welcomes you.
West scrambles for ‘insurance policy’ as China raids Earth’s raw materials
Matt Oliver
Fri, Mar 8, 2024, 10:00 PM MST
Good article on Chinese influence on pricing. More confirmation that the government is well aware of this and it's some of the reasons for the financing support. I posted earlier that DARPA is also working on addressing this.
I wouldn't really calling it engagement, more like put up or shut up, but in the nicest way possible. And, you're welcome! Nice to see the continued focus on securing this resource and watch the tailwinds increase daily.
Patiently awaiting your informed and detailed explanation of how stock price relates to potentially available, yet still unconfirmed, future funding opportunities. Go.
Still no substance. Just babble and self aggrandizing. 😂🤡 Now, don’t forget to like your own post!
EXIM didn’t give the first MMIA loan until 8/2023. Times have changed, as have China relations and the drive for resources. The time is right and the window is open.
NioCorp is a sponsor and the summit accepted applications for speakers. Now, did that give MS the privilege of saying he wants to be immediately after Reta Jo Lewis, on Day 1, in the morning? Or is there something more to all this? Maybe. Maybe not. I’m good with “Maybe!”
Feel free to validate/justify/support your comment with something more than, “I think I’m smarter than you,” and the same old tired commentary. Failing to do so only further confirms your irrelevance. Unlike you, I’m more than willing to entertain supported factual data and I’ll even do the research/post the links for you if you can produce something. My guess is you can’t because you haven’t and you’re unable to answer questions. Good luck to you.
Thanks! I keep trying to find information that would paint the current funding possibilities in a negative light but the more I dig, the more positives I find.
It's 10 minutes, early the first day, before lunch. Shouldn't be a problem. Engineers aren't normally well known for their effervescent presence.
Yet another potential pot of cash or just more detail on DoD? Look at Page 2 of the 1st linked pdf, and peruse the entirety of the 2nd pdf linked below to get a better picture of what this is all about and see if you recognize some familiar words and terms. Their total FY24 funding request is the largest ever (not sure what made it in the actual budget), and the largest for the foreseeable future at just under $2 billion.
Manufacturing Capability Expansion & Investment Prioritization
The Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program targets investments that create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore critical domestic industrial base capabilities. DPA Title III has three broad focus areas: sustaining critical production, commercializing research and development investments, and scaling emerging technologies. DoD’s response to Executive Order 14017, America’s Supply Chains, identified five defense-critical sectors, around which the Department is focusing investments.
Establishing and expanding domestic capacity for strategic and critical minerals
Mitigating industrial base constraints to accelerate munition production
Ensuring access to minerals and materials required to produce large capacity batteries
https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/mceip/docs/DPAI-Infographic_23JAN2024.pdf
https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/mceip/docs/ir/MCEIP-Overview-Deck.pdf
https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/mceip/index.html
I would consider looking for $$$ as being "in process." 😂
Has anyone ever asked, or have they ever said how long it would take to get a new FS completed if they had the cash?
The election is 11/5, so it's crunch time!
Just a perspective: Government agencies like to spend their allotted funds because a failure to do so can result in lower budgets in subsequent years. Appointed agency heads who publicly tout their missions, and their plans to support the President's critical agenda, REALLY like to spend/loan (in EXIM's case it's a repayable loan) all their allotted funds to show their commitment to the program and their ability to get the message out, so they can keep their jobs. Even more important in a contentious election year, so the Prez can show the world what he's done.
According to the EXIM site, there are only 3 other MMIA projects pending besides the approximately $800 million NioCorp. Interesting to note that EXIM can fund up to 80% of projects, so could be up to $960 million if that happened? If EXIM has $2 billion to spend and has only spent $174 million so far, that leaves them with $1.826 billion. If NB gets $800 million, that leaves over a $1 billion to spend. Without NB, can they even come close with a plastic resin plant? Who knows?! NB certainly seems like a shoe-in that hits a multitude of criteria.
Fun to think about the possibilities. 🙂
There doesn't seem to be a tremendous amount of info out there, but here's what I've found, and I have no idea if it correlates in any way to the loan requests:
Tex-Tube Pipe Plant (pending since 10/2022)
According to state and local economic development sources Tex Tube Company plans to invest $1,700,000.00 to build out 327,088 square feet of new space in Waller.
https://www.intelligence360.news/tex-tube-company-to-spend-1700000-00-to-occupy-327088-square-feet-of-space-in-waller-texas/
Electrovaya Lithium Battery Factory Project (pending since 6/2023)
The final capital cost of the facility is estimated at approximately $75 million, and it is expected to open in phases starting late 2023
https://electrovaya.com/press/electrovaya-to-establish-lithium-ion-gigafactory-in-new-york-state/
Packwell Plastics Packaging and Warehouse Facility Construction Project (just posted 2/29/2024)
Unable to find any associated costs but how much can a resin factory cost?
https://www.packaging-gateway.com/news/port-houston-packwell-partner-to-increase-resin-export-capabilities/
US Exim readies for US$2bn domestic financing boom
AMERICAS / JANUARY 31, 2024 / BY FELIX THOMPSON
Usually the very end of March. eom
The Best Defense Is A Strong Offense: How Technology Can Help Meet Rising Military Demand
Deloitte
Rudy Sleiman
Brand Contributor
BRANDVOICE| Paid Program
Mar 8, 2024,09:26am EST
DoD Office of Strategic Capital website
https://www.cto.mil/osc/
DoD Announces Release of FY24 Investment Strategy for the Office of Strategic Capital
(Is this yet another possible source of funds?)
In December 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III launched the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) to attract and scale private capital in support of national security. This week, Secretary Austin announced the release of the first Investment Strategy for the Office of Strategic Capital.
The Investment Strategy identifies priority critical component technology industries for OSC focus and describes how OSC will catalyze private investment in these priority industries. The public release of the Investment Strategy supports open engagement with public and private sector stakeholders to advance OSC's mission.
"I created the Office of Strategic Capital to foster U.S. private-sector investment in the cutting-edge tech that will keep America secure in the 21st century," Austin said. "This important investment strategy will leverage America's core advantages in innovation and free enterprise to strengthen our industrial base and invest in tech areas that are critical for national security."
The Investment Strategy presents a guiding framework for OSC programs to complement existing DoD and U.S. government programs. It also addresses how OSC determined which technology areas to prioritize for its initial program activities, based on rigorous analysis of national security applications, U.S. market competitiveness, and capital needs for critical technology industries.
The Investment Strategy identifies initial priority areas for the first OSC program, the DoD-Small Business Administration Small Business Investment Company Critical Technologies (SBICCT) Initiative. The SBICCT Initiative pairs private capital with federally-guaranteed loans to increase investment in DoD's critical technology areas.
OSC's initial technology priorities for private sector investment are: Nanomaterials and Metamaterials (Advanced Materials), Bioenergetics (Biotechnology), Synthetic biology (Biotechnology), Open RAN (FutureG and 5G), Sensor hardware (Integrated Sensing and Cyber), Assembly, Testing, and Packaging (Microelectronics), Materials (Microelectronics), Quantum computing (Quantum Science), Quantum security (Quantum Science), Quantum sensing (Quantum Science), Battery storage (Renewable Energy Generation and Storage), Space-enabled services and equipment (Space Technology).
The Investment Strategy is part of the Department's collaborative approach to working with private capital markets for national and economic security. For more information on how to participate in OSC program activities and to sign up for additional updates, please visit https://www.cto.mil.osc/.
From Page 10 of the full document (linked below) with the definition of "Materials," and a statement that more initiatives are coming:
Priority areas listed here are only for the SBIC Critical Technologies Initiative.
OSC will announce priority areas for additional program activities as they become available.
Materials (Microelectronics). Critical components, raw materials, and rare earth elements utilized in microelectronic manufacturing.
https://media.defense.gov/2024/Mar/08/2003409053/-1/-1/0/FY24-INVESTMENT-STRATEGY-FOR-THE-OFFICE-OF-STRATEGIC-CAPITAL-DISTRIBUTION-STATEMENT-A-APPROVED-FOR-PUBLIC-RELEASE.PDF
This isn’t GE! 😆
Just sayin’
Clearly before my time! I get it though. Pretty much, getting anything done in government takes at least two years from birth of the idea, to legislation, to enactment, to policy changes and practice. Add in funding, and now you have to compete with budgets that are always two years behind and subject to the whims of Congress. Add in the current administration’s stance on China and frankly I’m shocked we are where we are today. Today being a lot of good news and a lot of possibilities for NioCorp and shareholders.
According to the schedule, they're both on Day 1. She speaks 10:30-10:55 as part of a panel, and he is RIGHT AFTER HER at 11. A little more BIG DEAL! Maybe she'll hold him up as the poster child for domestic EXIM loans! 😀 It's great he's not at 3:15 on Day 2! Lots of networking opportunities at these things.
According to the Wayback Machine, it's been there for more than a year, I didn't look beyond that.
Agree 100% that it's a big deal although I'm not sure how much (unnecessary) bureaucracy is actually getting in the way or slowing things down. I wasn't able to find a similar EXIM request for information in the Federal Register, so that tells me they have little institutional knowledge to work with and, as AO said, they are likely trying to understand the marketplace for minerals and the downstream demand, as it relates specifically to domestic mining and processing. Coincidentally (or not), they are also trying to hire a mining engineer to evaluate "the technical feasibility and assess the technical risks of projects" and lots of other related responsibilities. https://www.usajobs.gov/job/777156100
This seems to be moving at a good pace when you consider it's a new program for EXIM and it sounds like they have the same hybrid work/retention/vacancy issues as the rest of the world. Keep in mind that NB was still negotiating the auditors at the end of January. So much of this process also falls on NB to have everything submitted on time, complete and accurate. There's still no FY24 federal budget, but that might be resolved in a couple of weeks. It's not out of the question that NioCorp could see some department/agency money once that's done. My opinion, the decision countdown clock has officially started and now we just have to wait for the established procedures to work. I think it's likely that the administration wants very much to be able to celebrate a win on this, too. Here's to something definitive by the end of June!
https://www.exim.gov/leadership-governance/strategic-plans/strategic-plan-fy-2022-2026
https://www.exim.gov/about/careers/job-opportunities
Summit Confirmed Speaker Bio
Mark Smith
Biography
Mr. Smith has over 40 years of experience in operating, developing, and financing mining and strategic materials projects in the Americas and abroad. In September 2013, he was appointed CEO and a Director of NioCorp. From April 2015 to September 2019, Mr. Smith served as the President and Director, and later as CEO, for Largo Resources Ltd. Mr. Smith has also served on the board of directors of IBC Advanced Alloys Corp., a leading beryllium and copper advanced alloys company, since May 2016, and as CEO of IBC since July 2020. From October 2008 through December 2012, Mr. Smith served as President, CEO and Director of Molycorp, Inc., a rare earths producer, where he was instrumentally involved in taking it from a private company to a publicly traded company with a producing mine. Prior to Molycorp, Mr. Smith was the President and CEO of Chevron Mining Inc. He also served for over seven years as the shareholder representative of Companhia Brasileira Metalúrgica e Mineração, a private company that currently produces approximately 85% of the world supply of niobium. Mr. Smith is a Registered Professional Engineer and serves as an active member of the State Bars of California and Colorado. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering from Colorado State University in 1981 and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Western State University, College of Law, in 1990.
Crippling America Without Firing a Shot: China’s Extreme Critical Minerals Leverage
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
11:00 AM - 11:10 AM
Summit Short Talks
https://safesummit.org/speaker-directory/
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – March 7, 2024 – Mark A. Smith, CEO and Executive Chairman of NioCorp Developments Ltd. (“NioCorp” or the “Company“) (NASDAQ:NB) (TSX:NB) believes that China’s critical minerals leverage over the U.S. is at dangerous levels and gives China the ability to quickly hobble U.S. manufacturing for many military and clean energy technologies. Mr. Smith will warn senior U.S. officials of these dangers at a high-profile conference in Washington, D.C. on March 12, 2024 and will urge that the U.S. government more aggressively encourage greater U.S. critical mineral development on a fast-track basis.
NioCorp’s Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project will be highlighted at the event, which will be held in Washington, D.C. on March 12-13, 2024 (see https://safesummit.org/). Joining Mr. Smith in making presentations at the conference are Rita Jo Lewis, Chair of the Board of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (“EXIM“); Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy; Amos Hochstein, Senior Advisor to President Biden for Energy and Investment; senior officials from the U.S. International Development Finance and U.S. State Department; Members of Congress; and senior executives from a broad cross section of industries. The conference is expected to attract coverage by national and international news media outlets.
EXIM is currently engaged in processing an application by NioCorp for up to $800 million in debt financing for the Elk Creek Project. EXIM has advanced NioCorp’s application past the first of three Transaction Review Committee reviews and is now conducting due diligence analyses of the Project.
In addition to Mr. Smith’s recommendation for multi-pronged government action to support more domestic mining, he will also note that EV sales remain the fastest growing segment in the automotive industry and that “reports of the death of EVs are greatly exaggerated.” According to Cox Automotive, EV sales in 2023 topped one million units in the U.S. for the first time ever, fourth quarter 2023 sales were 46% higher year-over-year, and 2024 sales are forecast to rise between 20-30 percent.
Conference presentations will not be broadcast live but recorded videos of the presentations are expected to be made available following the conference.
To learn more about NioCorp’s Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, please go here: https://www.niocorp.com
https://www.niocorp.com/niocorp-chinas-critical-minerals-leverage-over-the-u-s-is-at-dangerous-levels/
Where is Stellantis based? It has operations in Europe, North and South America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Stellantis is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
https://www.globaldata.com/company-profile/stellantis-nv/#:~:text=It%20has%20operations%20in%20Europe,headquartered%20in%20Amsterdam%2C%20the%20Netherlands.
Keep in mind that our allies need these critical minerals as well to build their own equipment. The State Department has the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP)...it's a global affair.
https://www.state.gov/joint-statement-of-the-minerals-security-partnership/
EXIM questions published! Responses due by May 6th. This potentially keeps us on track with Mark's hopes for a decision by the end of Q2
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/07/2024-04883/information-request-on-financing-support-for-critical-minerals-projects
AGENCY:
Export-Import Bank of the United States.
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
To assist the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) in supporting critical minerals transactions, which are crucial to the supply chains of several of the Congressionally mandated Transformational Export Areas in EXIM's Charter, EXIM seeks information on the financing gaps faced by project sponsors, users of critical minerals, and suppliers to critical minerals projects.
DATES:
Comments are due on May 6, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
Interested parties may submit comments on this transaction electronically on
www.regulations.gov.
To submit a comment, enter “Information Request on Financing Support for Critical Minerals” under the heading “Enter Keyword or ID” and select Search. Follow the instructions provided at the Submit a Comment screen. Please include your name, company name (if any) and “Information Request on Financing Support for Critical Minerals Projects” on any attached document. Comments can also be sent by email or mail to Scott Condren,
Scott.Condren@exim.gov,
Export-Import Bank of the United States, 811 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20571.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To request additional information, please contact Scott Condren,
Scott.Condren@exim.gov,
202–509–4227.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
In EXIM's 2019 reauthorization, Congress directed the agency to create the China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) and use its tools and authorities to advance the comparative leadership of the United States with respect to the People's Republic of China (PRC), or support United States innovation, employment, and technological standards through direct exports in 10 transformational export areas. These export areas include:
Artificial intelligence.
Biotechnology.
Biomedical sciences.
Wireless communications equipment (including 5G or subsequent wireless technologies).
Quantum computing.
Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage.
Semiconductor and semiconductor machinery manufacturing.
Emerging financial technologies (including technologies that facilitate financial inclusion through increased access to capital and financial services; data security and privacy; payments, the transfer of funds, and associated messaging services; and efforts to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism).
Water treatment and sanitation (including technologies and infrastructure to reduce contaminants and improve water quality).
High-performance computing;
Associated services necessary for use of any of the foregoing exports.
Additionally, EXIM reviews over the last few years indicate that critical minerals are a crucial component of multiple transformational export areas—and the U.S. lags the PRC in the proven reserves, mining, and processing of almost all critical minerals. Thus, EXIM has prioritized critical minerals that are part of the supply chain for transformational export areas and clearly align to the capacity to produce and foreign demand for U.S. goods and services in transformational export area industries.
Therefore, to understand how EXIM financing can better support U.S. exporters in this sector, diversify supply chains, and ensure access to critical minerals by U.S. users, EXIM is seeking public comment on the financing gaps stakeholders face. EXIM has identified specific questions for specific stakeholders but welcomes feedback from all relevant stakeholders not specifically identified here.
(A) For U.S. exporters to critical minerals projects:
(1) What part of the supply chain do you supply (e.g., mining, refining, or processing)?
(2) What goods and services do you provide to such projects (e.g., services, capital equipment, intermediate components, consumables)?
(3) What are the financing challenges, if any, that prevent securing sales with foreign buyers?
(4) Are you aware of or facing competition backed by foreign government financing?
(5) If so, please identify the competition and the type of foreign government financing provided.
(6) Have you previously used financing tools from the Export-Import Bank of the United States?
(7) If you have not utilized EXIM financing, please explain why not (e.g., no need, fees too high, could not meet policy criteria such as content).
(B) For U.S.-based users of critical minerals:
(1) Which critical minerals are most important to your operations?
(2) In what geographies are you most likely to seek access to those minerals?
(3) Is there now or expected to be in the future competitive U.S.-based sources of those minerals?
(4) What financial hurdles are there to obtaining critical minerals? Please distinguish between short-term hurdles (such as insufficient access to working capital to import specific cargos) and longer-term (such as requirements of foreign projects for large down payments in exchange for long-term supply contracts).
(5) What impact does lack of access to critical minerals have on your operations, particularly regarding employment and exports?
(6) To what extent are you aware of foreign competitors gaining access to critical minerals resources via foreign government support (such as lending to a foreign mine conditional on selling output to a particular company)?
(7) What form does such support take?
EXIM encourages respondents, when addressing the points above, unless raising other challenges to financing critical minerals transactions, to identify which point they are responding to by using the same numbers and heading as set forth above. For example, a user of critical minerals submitting comments responsive to (4), “What financial hurdles are there to obtaining critical minerals”, would use that same text as a heading followed by the respondent's specific comments responding to it. This formatting will assist EXIM in more easily reviewing and summarizing the comments received in response to these specific points of inquiry.
Scott Condren,
Vice President, Policy Analysis Division, Office of Policy Analysis and International Relations.
[FR Doc. 2024–04883 Filed 3–6–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6690–01–P
EXIM Turns Stateside
Posted on February 20, 2024
Tomer D. Elkayam
Associate Editor
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, JD 2024
You're welcome and I'm pretty sure NioCorp will have to provide all that to the auditors. Fairly confident that's in large part proprietary information and since it's on private property in the United States, it's likely not governed by the same restrictions and disclosures that might be required on public land (just a guess). EXIM will reportedly release a review for public comment at some point and post a link.
This is very much a connect the dots exercise. I've done my best to document the dots in real-time for all to see and I will continue to do so with facts and sources. I provided open-source info and show you where to look to verify it. Occasionally, I'll offer my clearly identified opinion as to where things might be headed. Take it or leave it, I don't really care, and I don't need validation from anonymous sources who prefer to hurl insults. GLTA! (even you Stooges)
https://www.exim.gov/policies/exim-bank-and-environment/pending-transactions
That's the beauty of govt, it's all out there for the world to see. I make it a point to back up anything I post with links and quotes and sources, unless I specifically state it's my opinion.
EXIM issued their preliminary letter with the existing current FS without REEs and no known demand to update it (unless you know something we don't). Niobium, Scandium and Titanium can probably hold their own in the domestic supply chain concerns considering the lack of soon-to-be-available resources. The lab results on REEs are in from the drilling, they just haven't been put into a beautiful, expensive FS. Why do you think the government cares about a pretty picture when they have decades of mineral test results to go by and a legitimate critical mineral source ready to go along with recent test results showing even better returns? Again, my opinion. I'm not cheerleading management, I'm advocating for the known mineral resources and the government mandates to strengthen the supply chain and increase domestic sourcing.